Comparison Of Three Test Methods For Prepared Toppings

By Brookfield Engineering Laboratories, Inc.

The prepared food industry is a rapidly grow ing and very competitive market segment. Reliable, consistent product quality is key to the success of every company competing here. Establishing that high level of product quality is a many faceted process involving appearance, aroma, flavor and texture. Much money and time can be spent in the areas of product research and development, consumer sur­ veys and trained panels of sensory experts to achieve success in this area.

Once accomplished, it is imperative that cost effective test methods are employed to assure that a high level of consistency is maintained. One of the important characteristics for ready-to-use products, such as frosting and other decorative toppings, is the ability to be applied smoothly, usually by spread­ing or extruding, and to stay in place once applied. Viscosity alone is often not enough to completely characterize the rheology of decorative toppings. For example, the ability of a topping to be easily spread without damaging the fresh, tender cake underneath is a required characteristic. But after spreading, the frosting should be able to stand up into small peaks or hold a pattern on its surface. This describes two different, yet related, flow properties of these top-pings.

In rheological terms, the easy spreading characteristic defines the pseudoplastic, or shear thinning, nature of the topping. The stiffness when motionless provides the ability to hold peaks and is known as the yield stress of the material. Simple laboratory instruments using different test methods can quantify both of these properties.