Inulin Milk Beverages: Sensory Differences in Thickness and Creaminess Using R‐index Analysis of the Ranking Data

Inulin has interesting functional properties, which are linked to the average degree of polymerization of its chains. The aims of this work were to explore the effect of adding different types of inulin (short chain, native and long chain) on the thickness and creaminess of milk‐beverage model systems, and to explore the possibility of using each of the three types of inulin as a fat replacer in skimmed‐milk beverages. Sensory ranking data were analyzed using the R‐index. For the two lots of samples (whole milk and skimmed milk), all samples with added inulin were perceived as significantly thicker and creamier than the samples without inulin. The fat mimetic capacity of inulin depended not only on the chain length, but also on the concentration of added inulin. In order to obtain milk beverages with reduced fat content having similar thickness and creaminess than those perceived in whole milk beverages, it was necessary to add long‐chain inulin at concentrations over 8%. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS In most cases, inulin is added to different foods to supplement them in order to increase fiber ingestion, in amounts that vary between 3 and 6 g per portion, or to assure its bifidogenic nature, adding 3–8 g per portion. The results of this work provide information regarding the effects of inulin on the sensory characteristics of milk beverages, and show that applying the R‐index analysis helped detect the small perceivable differences in thickness and creaminess among the samples tested, what will be of great use in formulating low‐fat milk beverages.