Influence of Uniaxial Compression Rate on Rheological Parameters and Sensory Texture Prediction of Cooked Potatoes

The effect of uniaxial compression rate (20–1000 mm/min) on the parameters: Stress (σftrue), strain (εfHencky) and work to fracture (Wf), modulus of deformability (Ed), maximum slope before fracture (Emax) and work during 75% compression (Wtotal) was investigated for ten potato varieties. Multivariate data analysis was used to study the correlation between and within the sensory and nonsensory measurements by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) which showed σftrue, Emax, Wf, and Wtotal to explain the same type of information in the data, and εfHencky versus Ed another type of information in the data. The deformation rate had a large effect on εfHencky. Nine sensory texture attributes covering the mechanical, geometrical and moistness attributes were evaluated. Relationships between uniaxial compression data at various deformation rates and the sensory texture attributes were studied by Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR). A minor effect of deformation rate on the correlation with the sensory texture properties was obtained. Mechanical properties were predicted to a higher extent than the geometrical attributes and moistness. The prediction of the mechanical, geometrical and moistness attributes increased largely by using uniaxial compression supplemented by chemical measures such as dry matter and pectin methylesterase, but here no relevant effect of deformation rate was obtained.