Texture exponent software

Hardness, fracturability, and total work of the crackers were measured using the Texture Analyzer (TA.XT. plus C, Stable Micro Systems, Surrey, UK) equipped with the Warner Bratzler blade (HDP/BS). Data were evaluated using the Texture Exponent Software (Version 6.1.18.0, Stable Micro Systems). The cracker was placed on the slotted blade insert and the blade moved downwards at a speed of 1 mm/sec and at a force load of 5 mm/sec, until the cracker fracture was achieved. Hardness was calculated as the maximum force required to break the sample. Fracturability (the distance at the point of break) and total energy (total area work) were also determined.

The texture of the dough pieces was analysed using a TA-XT2 texture analyser equipped with Texture Exponent software (Stable Micro systems Ltd., England). A sphere penetration test was performed following the method described by Rodriguez-Garcia et al.^{51 (link)} with some modifications. A stainless-steel spherical probe (P/0.75) was used to compress the centre of the dough piece at 60% strain deformation, with a trigger force of 0.049 N, and test speed 1 mm/s. The maximum force (N), denoted as the peak of the curve was measured. The test was performed in ten dough pieces of each dough batch.

The texture of the biscuits was analysed using a TA-XT2 texture analyser equipped with the Texture Exponent software (Stable Micro systems Ltd., England). Biscuits were broken using the three-point-bending rig probe (A/3PB) using the following conditions: supports 15 mm apart, the probe moved 5 mm with a test speed of 1 mm/s, and a trigger force of 0.05 N. The parameters measured were the force at break (N), and the distance at break (mm) as the fracture strength and the fracturability, respectively. The analysis was performed on ten biscuits per formulation batch.

TA-XT plus Texture Analyser equipped with the Texture Exponent software (Stable Microsystems, Godalming, UK) was used to determinate the texture properties of the samples.
Spreadability of samples was measured using a TTC spreadability rig (HDP/SR) (Stable Microsystems, Godalming, UK) attachment. Samples were filled into a female cone (90°) with special attention to avoid bubbles formation. Samples were penetrated to 22 mm using a corresponding male cone (90°) attachment at a speed of 1 mm/s. Force expressed in Newtons and area under the curve (AUC; N·s), as a measure of spreadability, were recorded. Measurements were performed in triplicate.
A back extrusion test was conducted using a bucket of 50 mm diameter and 75 mm height with a compression probe of 49 mm diameter. The samples were extruded by 15 mm, at a speed of 1 mm/s. From the force time profiles, the AUC (N·s), a measure of consistency, was recorded. Measurements were performed in triplicate.

The texture measurements were conducted with a TA-XTPlus Texture Analyzer (Stable Microsystems, Goldalming, UK) equipped with Texture Exponent software (version 2.0.7.0. Stable Microsystems), with a 30-kg load cell and 0.1 N of trigger force. The texture analyzer captures the force, distance, and time needed to—depending on the probe—attach, extrude, penetrate, or compress the dysphagia thickener whilst the arm of the texture analyzer moves down and returns to its initial position. Data are registered once the trigger force is achieved. These data are also shown graphically whilst the test is performed.
Four tests frequently used in the evaluation of textural attributes of semi-solid food products were performed: two back-extrusion tests and two penetration tests [27 (link)]. The tests are extensively described in Section 2.3.1 and Section 2.3.2.
All tests were conducted at 1, 3, 5, and 10 mm/s and at 25 °C. This was the room temperature, as no device to maintain the temperature in the texture analyzer was available. The selection of the temperature is important as the physical properties depend on it; for example, viscosity, according to the Arrhenius equation, depends on temperature. For the four tests, the pretest and the post-test speeds were 10 mm/s. Table 3 summarizes the tests and parameters. Three replicates were performed per sample.