Determination of textural properties of vanilla pudding by means of objective and subjective methods

Objective methods that can be used as a predictor of subjectively assessed textural properties of vanilla pudding were studied. Correlations between the results of the objective analysis performed with Brookfield viscometer, Penetrometer and Instron, and the results of the subjective assessment of firmness of the skin on the pudding surface and firmness below the skin, visual consistency and oral consistency of the samples were investigated. Overall texture preferences were also determined. The correlation coefficients between the objective and sensory assessment results except flow index and overall texture preference values varied between 0.745 and 0.971 (p < 0.01). Firmness values obtained by Instron and Penetrometer and the consistency coefficient value from the Brookfield viscometer were highly correlated with all subjectively assessed textural properties of the pudding samples showing that they can be used a reliables predictors.