CHARACTERIZATION OF THE TEXTURAL PROPERTIES OF SPREADABLE PEANUT BASED PRODUCTS 1

Abstract

Textural characteristics of two peanut butter samples and one peanut paste sample were determined using three instrumental methods and a texture profile panel. In Method A, a penetrometer with a cone‐shaped probe attachment was used. Method B involved the use of a plunger attached to the crosshead of the Instron Universal Testing Machine. Method C was a modified texture profile analysis (TPA). Instrumental measures show that peanut paste was the hardest, exhibited the greatest adhesive force but the least time to break the peanut column, and was the least cohesive. All instrumental methods were acceptable but TPA provided more information than the two other methods in describing texture. The panel rated the paste as firmest, least adhesive, spread least on the tongue, least smooth, most grainy, and most difficult to swallow. Significant correlations were found between several instrumental measures and sensory characteristics.