LAS VEGAS — Creaminess counts in cappuccinos. Work at the Nestle Research Center has focused on ways to make Nescafe cappuccinos appear creamier without adding fat.
Consumers link creaminess with whiteness, said Christoph Reh, Ph.D., of the Nestle Research Center in a presentation June 26 at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting and food exposition in Las Vegas.
“We, of course, can add more milk and more cream, but we will also add more calories,” he said.
Instead, Nestle has altered the size of the particles in the product. Particles with a certain specification may change the density, which in turn may affect dissolution time. Normally coffee dissolves faster than the milk portion of a cappuccino, but through altering particle size, Nestle has made the coffee dissolve slower than the foamy creamer, which achieves a whiter foam in the product.
“In the composition of the product, there is almost no change, but the perception of the product has completely changed,” Dr. Reh said.
Work at the Nestle Research Center in Switzerland has focused on how coffee and milk interact and on how some people tend to favor the taste of coffee and some favor the taste of milk. Coffee lovers pay attention to flavor, aroma and a roast aspect, Dr. Reh said. Some also like bitterness and acidity. Milk lovers are interested in creamy, sweet and caramel aspects, he said. They also may be interested in a milk aspect and foam.
Micro-grind roast and ground coffee has become more popular among coffee lovers, Dr. Reh said. A smaller particle size in roast and ground coffee may reduce sedimentation, may avoid a perception of sandiness and may improve the coffee flavor. How the particles interact with the palate and the tongue will affect flavor delivery and mouthfeel, he said.
