Developing Sensory Lexicons for Tofu

The objective of this study was to develop sensory lexicons that can be utilized for various types of tofu such as pressed, unpressed, and tofu made from germinated soybeans, using generic descriptive analysis. In the first phase of the experiment, trained descriptive panelists developed and defined the appearance, aroma, flavor, and texture attributes that are commonly present in tofu. Then, the sensory characteristics of seven types of tofu were analyzed using the sensory lexicons established in the initial stage of the experiment. Four appearance, 6 odor/aroma, 6 flavor/taste, 7 texture, and 4 aftertaste attributes were identified, and reference standards were established for most of the terms in order to facilitate the understanding of the attribute definitions. The intensities of the sensory attributes were measured on a 15-point scale. Statistical analyses, including analysis of variance and principal component analysis, were used for the data. The seven tofu samples showed significant differences in the intensities of 22 attributes. The unpressed tofu samples were generally rated as being high in moistness, easy to cut, silky, and easy to swallow. The pressed tofu, on the other hand, was salty, astringent, beany, hard, and rough in texture. The tofu made with germinated soybeans was characterized as having a strong cooked bean flavor, salty and astringent aftertaste, and hard texture. Overall, the attributes of moistness, easy to swallow, and silkiness showed strong positive correlations; hardness and sticks to teeth were also positively correlated to each other.