The effect on sensory properties of fat replacement in a white sauce using extra virgin olive oil with high phenolic content

Recently, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) recommended that intakes of saturated fatty acids (SFA) should be as low as possible, on the basis of the relationship between dietary SFA intake and increased blood cholesterol/low density lipoprotein (LDL) concentrations. EFSA also recently approved a health claim stating that the dietary intake of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) polyphenols is able to prevent LDL oxidation. This study evaluated the replacement of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of butter in white sauce with EVOO. The resulting products rich in unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA and PUFA), phenolic antioxidants and poor in SFA could be a healthier alternative for consumers. Two EVOOs characterized by different level of phenolic content were used, and its impact on sensory properties and product acceptability were investigated. Sensory profile of white sauces was assessed by a trained panel using Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) and Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS). A subset of the resulting white sauces was chosen for hedonic testing. 75 consumers evaluated liking and fat perception. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) by a complete factorial design and multivariate data analytical methods (Partial Least Squares Regression) were applied for analysis of the data. Both phenolic content and oil replacement contributed significantly to the sensory perception of the products and their acceptability. In general, white sauces with 50% butter replacement showed comparable sensory properties, and were well accepted by consumers, resulting a healthier properties product (37% less saturated fats, 50% less cholesterol, presence of EVOO polyphenols) compared to the classical butter made white sauce.