RUNNING HEAD: BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP 1

Research Project

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Samples

ND 203L Section One

November 30, 2017

Christina Savoth

Sara Hayes
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Chapter 1: Introduction

Nowadays, everyone is trying to find ways to eat healthier. Substituting little things to get

the nutrient they might be deficient in, is key to a good health. Cooking has become a whole new

realm of gluten free, dairy free and so many more. It is so easy to find a recipe, pick out what

you can not eat or do not want to eat, and replace it for something else. There are so many

examples of this, from replacing all-purpose flour for rice flour because your diet requires it. On

the other hand, people may just want to lower their fat intake or increase their fiber intake. For

things like that, they make dietary adjustments in the food they eat. It can be very hard to know

the amount of nutrients in that food when you go out and the food is already prepared. That is

why it has become very popular for home cooking. Another reason home cooking has become so

popular is because restaurant prices rose 2.7%, which is notably higher, and people realize

cooking at home is less expensive (Tuttle, 2016). Home cooking gives such an opportunity to

switch things up and make things healthier.

Also, due to high cholesterol levels, many have been trying to find the right way to

replace butter in their food. This theory will be tested by replacing a regular stick of butter for

extra virgin olive oil in broccoli cheddar soup. Another sample will include more broccoli than

the control and the second to see if there is a notable difference. The soups will be tested both

subjectively and objectively to compare their viscosity, flavor, appearance and texture. This is to

test if the healthier olive oil sample of the soup is preferred, because this could determine future

butter replacements in cooking.

Problem Statement
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The purpose of this experiment is to differentiate what happens to the viscosity, flavor,

texture, appearance and overall acceptability of the broccoli cheddar soup after switching the

olive oil over the butter.

Sub-Problems

1. What effects does replacing butter for olive oil have the viscosity of the soup?

2. What effects does replacing butter for olive oil have the flavor of the soup?

3. What effects does replacing butter for olive oil have the texture of the soup?

4. What effects does replacing butter for olive oil have on the appearance of the soup?

Hypothesis

There will be a difference in viscosity in the broccoli cheddar soup when substituting

olive oil for butter.

There will only be a slight difference in the flavor, texture or appearance in the broccoli

cheddar soup after substituting olive oil for butter.

Definition of Terms

Viscosity: The measure of the resistance of a fluid to deformation under shear stress. It is

commonly perceived as "thickness", or resistance to pouring. (Bender, 2009)

Flavor: The sensory message blending taste and smell perceptions when food is in the

mouth (McWilliams, 2017)

Texture: The feel or consistency of a substance (Bender, 2009)

Appearance: The way something looks (Bender, 2009)

Butter: Made from separated cream by churning (sweet cream butter) (Bender, 2009)

Olive Oil: Pressed from ripe olives (Bender, 2009)

Delimitations of the Study

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The researcher will only substitute the exact amount of extra virgin olive oil for what the

recipe calls for butter. The other will have double the amount of broccoli that the recipe calls for.

All measurements will be done by standard household measuring tools. In addition, a large

saucepan will be used to hold the eight servings.

Limitations of the Study

A limitation could be slight differences in the measurements of the ingredients because

possible variations could be off on the household measuring cups. Another limitation is that

people could misread the scorecard and rank all of the subjective tests instead of describing them

with words. Another limitation is that there was not that much research out in the world to

describe the flavor, texture, and appearance of olive oil and butter in a roux.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Oil can be gathered from seeds of annual plants grown in relatively temperate climates,

or from oil- bearing trees in which the oils are extracted from the fruit pulp. As for animal fat,

most of this is derived from tallow from cattle and sheep, lard from pigs, and milkfat and butter

from cows (O’Brien, 2009). Most fat and oil production is controlled by factors other than

demand, such as weather, availability, and improper adjustments. For example, butter is subject

to milk availability, and the production of olive oil cannot be adjusted from year to year because

the olive trees have long productive life spans (O'Brien, 2009). Visible fats and oils are those that

are isolated from oil seeds, oil trees, and animal tissues. On the other hand, invisible fats and oils

derive from poultry, eggs, dairy products, meats, fruits, vegetables, or fish and account for about

60% of an individual’s fat consumption (O’Brien, 2009). The shift from animal fats to vegetable

oils has been occurring over time, with vegetable oils accounting for 75% of fats being used in

recipes around 1970 (O’Brien, 2009).

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All over the world, olive oil is becoming the most popular consumed type of vegetable

oils. In Tunisia, there are about 80 million olive trees growing and then used for multiple needs

in the world. Tunisia is the second largest producer in the Mediterranean, which is not surprising

since the Mediterranean is known for olive oil (Guermazi, 2015). Due to a higher demand of

olive oil the extraction in making it has changed a number of times, and is done differently

mostly all of the time. Since prices for olive oil are increasing, many growers have tried making

the olive oil worth what the price is asking. They try now to minimize the loss of oil in the by-

product, like the olive pomace and waste water (Guermazi, 2015). In one study, they tried to

extract olive oil through a process called destoning. There are enzymes in the stones and if they

are removed, there is no effect on the heritage of the oil during extraction. In addition, there is a

higher amount of volatile compound, which are not good for the environment nor for human

health, in stoned olives. All olive oil is relatively healthy for everyone and studies such as that

one, was conducted to determine other ways for olive oil to be made.

Diets where one intakes a high amount of olive oil, fruits, vegetables and nuts is

characterized as the Mediterranean diet. This originated in countries in the Mediterranean

because those foods are more accessible to their location, making it popular to consume. It has

been noticed that these people have a lower risk of cardiovascular risks. This is because the olive

oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids, which are better for one’s body and heart. If these

people continue to eat unsaturated fats over saturated fats, their body will not have to work as

hard to break down so many stackable fats. A study was done in order to see the end results of

the Mediterranean diet. It was done at random with elderly participants who had no

cardiovascular diseases. It was shown that in the end, these people had a way less chance of ever

getting a cardiovascular disease (Estruch, 2013).

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As discussed before about olive oil helping prevent cardiovascular diseases, it has also

been found that extra virgin olive oil reduces glycemic response in type one diabetics. It has been

noticed that saturated fatty acids worsen insulin sensitivity and slow down gastric emptying after

eating. While monounsaturated fatty acids improve insulin sensitivity and help glucagon-like

peptide secretion (Bozzetto, 2016). Because olive oil is a monounsaturated fat, it is a great start

in helping diabetes. A study was done to test if the type of dietary fat and the glycemic index

with help glycemic response. The study was shown successful because the types of fat only

affects the glycemic response and not the amount. Also, it was indicated that monounsaturated

fats should be considered with carbohydrates amount to time and give the correct dose of insulin

needed. It is also important that the monounsaturated fats with help preserve cardiovascular

health in patients with Type I diabetes (Bozzetto, 2016).

Saturated fatty acids are known to be the “bad guys” whenever people are deciding

between unsaturated and saturated fats. Women were most likely to smoke, less likely to perform

physical activity, and less likely to take multivitamin supplements if their diet consisted of high

saturated fat intakes. The study also showed that saturated fat intake was positively correlated

with monounsaturated fat and dietary cholesterol, while alcohol and fiber consumption were

inversely correlated (Hu, 1999). Postprandial triacylglycerol concentrations were highest for a

diet rich in saturated fat, and lower for a diet rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fat (Hu, 1999). Research

has suggested that replacing long- chained saturated fatty acids with short- medium chained ones

is very likely to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, also known as CHD. This can be done

by avoiding red meats and high- fat dairy products, and by substituting poultry, fish, and low- fat

dairy products in their place (Hu, 1999).

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Roux is the principal means used to thicken sauces, and it is a combination of equal parts

of flour and fat, in weight, cooked together to form a paste (Labensky, 2011). By cooking the

flour in fat, the fat coats the starch granules and prevents the flour from lumping together when it

is introduced into a liquid (Labensky, 2011). A white roux is only cooked briefly and should be

removed from heat as soon as it develops a bubbly, frothy appearance (Labensky, 2011). This

type of roux is usually used for a béchamel sauce, which is a leading sauce made by thickening

milk with a white roux and seasonings (Labensky, 2011). A good white roux will be done

cooking after only a few minutes; the roux should be stiff, and not runny or pourable.

Overcooking a roux should also be avoided at all costs because burnt roux will not thicken a

liquid, but instead will add black specks and an unwanted flavor (Labensky, 2011).

The functional roles of fats have a significant impact on the product of food they assist in

creating, especially the functions of flavor and appearance. Fats contribute a richness of flavor

when used in a variety of food products, and specific fats, such as butter, provide unique flavor

qualitites. Butter has a complex flavor profile contributed by butyric and other fatty acids, and

the flavor of butter is so popular that most margarines and some shortenings have synthetic

butter flavoring added to them to stimulate the natural flavoring of butter (McWilliams, 2017).

Olive oil is another example of a type of fat that contains distinctive flavor components

(McWilliams, 2017). Along with added flavor, butter contributes a yellow to creamy color in

products. The pleasing color plays a very high role in food because other fats, such as margarine,

are colored to stimulate the color of butter (McWilliams, 2017).

All of this helps people make better decisions in their food choices. This study is to see

how much of an impact the olive oil has on food, such as soup. This will help rationalize our

hypothesis because the hope is that the olive oil will be more likeable due to its health benefits.
RUNNING HEAD: BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP 8

Chapter 3: Methodology

Sample

The subjects will include the students of about of 10-15 people, of ages from 19-50. The

participants with be assumed to like broccoli cheddar soup but those who have gluten or lactose

intolerant with be unable to participate in this experiment. They will be unaware of the

differences, but will only know the type of soup and then taste the three variations.

Instrumentation

For this experiment, the objective evaluation will be using the line spread test to measure

the thickness differences of the three soups. The line spread sheet will be needed for use. The

sensory evaluation will be comparing the taste, appearance and texture of the three different

soups. A sensory score card will be given to each subject for their evaluation. The scorecard will

look as followed:

Appearance Texture Taste Rank of Best

Taste (1-3)

Sample Soup 1

Sample Soup 2

Sample Soup 3

Procedure

All three soups will be cooked at once so that both the objective and subjective testing

will not be altered due to one soup being hot and another being cold. Follow the recipe and

procedure in the appendix. Start by obtaining several small sample cups off the same size, and

then place the soup into the cup of their designated letter. Sample A will contain the control,

Sample B will contain the soup with the substitution of oil, and Sample C will contain the soup
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with the substitution of oil and addition of extra broccoli. Measure the soup out by adding 2

tablespoons to every cup. This will ensure that every cup has an equal amount of the sample, so

that each person receives the same exact mouthful.

For cooking each soup, prepare them with exactly the same procedure except for samples

B and C where olive oil is used over butter. First, start off by cutting the onion, carrot sticks and

broccoli into an appropriate size and measure it evenly. After, begin melting 1 tablespoon of

butter (or olive oil) in a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the ¼ cup of onions. Then

whisk in ¼ cup of of melted butter, or olive oil, and flour together on medium-low heat until the

flour loses its texture, possibly adding 1 tablespoon of milk to keep the flour from burning. Next,

gradually pour 2 cups of milk into the flour mixture while whisking constantly, as well as stirring

in the 2 cups of chicken stock. Bring that to a simmer, cook until the flour taste is gone and it is

thickened. After that, add the cut up 1 cup of carrots and 1 ½ cups of broccoli, or 2 cups for

Sample C. Once those vegetables are tender, remove it from the heat and use a hand blender to

“puree” the vegetables. Then put it back on the heat and stir in the 2 ½ cups of cheddar cheese

until it melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The objective test to be conducted is the line spread test on all three of the soups. This

will measure the viscosity of the soup, as well as its viscosity. This test will be taken twice, once

immediately after the soup has finished cooking and is hot, and another time once the soup has

cooled. To do the test, take two samples from each soup pot, which leaves a total of six samples

taken. Three of the samples will immediately be used for testing, while the other three will be set

aside to measure after they have cooled. After the samples have cooled down for about 20

minutes, perform the line spread test on this batch. Complete this test by using about 2
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tablespoons of the soup and putting it into a two sided cylinder, on the line spread sheet and lift

the cylinder, count to 5 and take the measurements.

Then put the samples on the table for the subjective test to take place. The subjective test

includes a scorecard where the appearance, texture and flavor will be evaluated. The scorecard

will be on the table next to the soups so that the subjects can evaluate the products. Explain to

each subject that there are three different samples of broccoli cheddar soup, they are to taste all

three and write down their opinions in each box of the scorecard. Once they have completed their

testing, tell them the different variations to observe their reactions. Finally, after all the

subjective and objective data is collected, begin to analyze the results.

Following the performance of an experiment, a scientist must organize their data. Use a

proper sheet to organize the results of the line spread test, the subjective opinions of the subjects,

and the ranking of soups. This will allow researchers to come to a conclusion on whether the

substitution of oil for butter was truly effective.

Analysis

In order to test the viscosity of the three soups, a line spread test will be done. The results

will be taken from four sides of the liquid to get the mean. The results of each soup will be

compared with one another. To test the appearance of the soup, the subjects will describe the

color of each soup and record it in the scorecard. Next for to test the texture or consistency, the

results will be written in the scorecard, with either lumpy, smooth or soft. For taste, the subjects

will describe what it tastes like to them. Lastly, the subjects will rank the order of their most

preferred 1-3, with 3 being the most liked and 1 being the least favorable.

Chapter 4: Results

Taste
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The one subjective test for this experiment was to distinguish the different tastes of the

three samples. The chart below is all of the feedback received from the subjects and they were

told to describe the flavor and taste in words. The most used phrases to describe the samples

were more or less cheesy. Sample 3 was seen as the least cheesy and some participants were not

able to taste the cheese; however, it had a stronger broccoli flavor. Sample 2 tasted more cheesy,

creamy and rich than Sample 3. As for Sample 1, this product seemed to be right in the middle

with a equal cheese to broccoli taste.

Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3

Flavor Salty, yummy; More broccoli taste; Cheddary; stronger

cheesy; smooth and similar to 1; slightly broccoli flavor; gritty
cheesy; good, cheese; gritty; creamy, taste, not as cheesy;
cheesy; broccoli taste; cheese; less cheesy; less cheesy; not
cheesy; rich cheesy more cheese taste; cheesy; less cheese
veggie; very good more cheesy, salty; taste; cheesy; can’t
rich; more subtle cheese; taste cheese; not as
richer; heavier rich/heavy

Texture

Another test that was done was to compare the texture of the three samples. The chart

below is all of the feedback received from the subjects and they were told to describe the texture

in words. The most used words were used to describe the thickness of the soups. Sample 3 was

seen as the thinnest, sample 2 was “not as thick”, and sample 1 was described more than once as

thick or very thick. The word grainy was used to describe sample 1 and chunky for all three

samples. It is hard to distinguish the differences between them all because similar words were

used to describe the three samples the same.

Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3

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Texture Thick smooth; Not as thick; similar Thin; similar to 1;

slightly grainy; to 1; smoother; less chunky; smooth;
grainy; slightly chunky; very thick, more chunky; less
chunky; very thick not as chunky; less smooth; creamy
and chunky; smooth; smooth; creamy; grainy; thick;
creamy, chunky; thicker chunky;
creamy;

Appearance

The chart below is all of the feedback received from the subjects and they were told to

describe the appearance in words. The usual appearance for broccoli cheddar soup is yellow and

all samples were described this way, as well as being described to be identical or similar to the

others. Although, to break them apart, sample 1 was seen as the most yellow or looked like

original broccoli cheddar soup. Sample 2 was also seen as yellow but a little more multicolored

with brighter color vegetables. Lastly, sample 3 was described as the palest or dullest with a tint

of yellow-green.

Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3

Appearance Yellow; golden; Yellow; identical to Yellow; identical to

yellow, shiny; yellow 1; multicolored 1, palest
same color; very still yellow; yellow same yellow;yellow same
does not move; color; still, more color; less yellow;
yellow; yellow; yellow; yellow; lighter yellow;
regular broccoli golden; brighter color yellow-green; duller
cheddar soup, nice veggies
color;
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(In order 1, 2, 3)

Rank Order Test

Our last subjective test that was done was to rank the samples by best to worst taste using

a scale of 1-3, used only once, 1 being the worst, 3 being the best and 2 being in the middle. Out

of the ten people who did our testing, our result came out as shown it the graph below. For best

tasting, sample 3 was the best with 6 talleys, sample 1 with 4 and sample 2 with zero. Sample 1

came out as the second best with 5 talleys, sample 3 with 3 and sample 2 with 2. Lastly, sample 2

was ranked the worst tasting with 8 talleys, while samples 1 and 3 with 1 each. Overall, sample 3

was the best, sample 1 was the second best and sample 2 as the least favorite.

Line Spread Test

Our one objective test was the line spread test to observe the viscosity and thickness of all

three samples. Two test of warm and cold samples were completed. The graph below has the

average of the four sides from the line spread sheet. If the number is higher, this means that the

soup is thinner because it is less dense and spreads easier. Therefore, sample 3, both hot and
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cold, is the thinnest and less dense. Samples 1 and 2 hot were very close to having the same

thickness but sample one both hot and cold was thinner than sample 2. So overall, sample 2 was

the thickest and most dense, while sample 1 was in between, and sample 3 was the least thick

and least dense.

Chapter 5: Discussion and Conclusion

The subjective and objective data that was collected in this experiment provided

significant results that suggested doubling the amount of broccoli with olive oil in broccoli

cheddar soup is an acceptable alternative to the original recipe with butter. This data from this
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experiment also suggested that substituting oil for butter in the broccoli cheddar soup is not an

acceptable alternative. The food science principles also provide insight as to why the substitute

samples had different characteristics than the control.

There were some limitations that occurred that affected the subjective results. Some

subjects did not understand the flavor, texture, and appearance boxes were to be filled in with

words and phrases instead of numbers and rankings. Therefore, these scorecards were not used in

some of the results.

The first sub- problem observed in the experiment was flavor. Flavor can be defined as

the sensory message blending taste and smell perceptions when food is in the mouth

(McWilliams 2017). Flavor is a huge factor in determining whether a person will continue to eat

a food or not because it utilizes smell and taste, which is known to be the biggest influence on a

consumer’s food choice. Fats are known to contribute a richness of flavor when used in a variety

of food products, especially butter since it has such a high flavor profile (McWilliams, 2017). A

roux that is used for sauces and soups calls for the combination of flour and fat, but the

traditional roux is cooked with butter. Therefore, the use of oil in the roux could affect the flavor

of the overall product because butter is known to provide several flavor qualities consumers

seem to enjoy.

These flavor principles can be applied to the comparison of the three different types of

broccoli cheddar soup. Sample 1, also known as the control, was mainly described as “cheesy”

and “rich,” and some participants even added “yummy” and “very good” to establish a personal

satisfaction for the sample. In addition, this was the control and it was expected to be very liked

in terms of flavor. Sample 2 had more of a variety in terms of descriptions when compared to

Sample 1, especially the characterizations of the cheese flavor. Some participants believed the
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flavor of it to be “more cheesy” than Sample 1, while other participants thought it was “less

cheesy.” The descriptions of “richer,” and “heavier” were also used to establish a difference

between the control and this soup. The characterizations used to describe Sample 2 do not

specifically display if the participant's like this particular soup or not, but they do imply the

flavor was different from the control with the use of different descriptions. Finally, the flavor of

Sample 3 was described as the least cheesy, as well as having a “stronger broccoli flavor.” It was

expected to see the broccoli have a more pronounced flavor in this soup because there was

double the amount of broccoli in this particular dish. The characterizations of all of the soups

imply the participants could taste at least somewhat of a difference between all three samples.

The next sub- problem measured in this experiment was texture. Texture can be defined

as the feel or consistency of a substance (Bender, 2009). It is acceptable to cook a roux with

either butter or olive oil, and so the same desired thickness should occur since they are both fats.

Therefore, it was expected that all three samples would be pretty smooth since the point of a roux

is to prevent lumping. When the fat is cooked with flour, the fat coats the starch granules and

prevevnts the flour from lumping together when it is introduced into a liquid (Labensky, 2011).

Since the broccoli cheddar soup is made with a béchamel sauce, this is composed from a white

roux base. A white roux will finish cooking after only a couple of minutes, and the product

should be stiff and not runny or pourable (Labensky, 2011).

According to the subjective tests and analysis of the texture principles of a roux, all three

samples weren’t too different according to their similar descriptions. All three samples were

described as “thick” or “chunky” by at least 2 or more subjects. Sample 1 seemed to be the most

“chunky” and “creamy” due to the high usage of these two words to describe this sample. As for

Sample 2, the descriptions of this soup varied greatly. Some subjects evauluated this soup as
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“thicker” or “smoother,” while others said Sample 2 was “less thick” or “less smooth.” However,

even though some of the descriptions of this sample countered each other, a few people said this

soup was “less chunky” than the control. This could imply that the soup with olive oil was

blended a little more than the soup with the butter. Sample 3 did not have one descriptive word

match up with another within their characterizations. There were many characteristics described

that counter each other, such as “thin” and “thick,” “chunky” and “smooth,” and finally “grainy”

and creamy.” Therefore, it is difficult to describe the overall quality and characteristics of

Sample 3.

One item that may have influenced texture is the different amounts of time it took to

blend all of the vegetables in with the creamy soup. Sample 1 may not have been blended enough

with the hand blender since it was described as “chunky” by quite a few subjects. On the other

hand, Sample 3 may have blended for an extensive amount of time due to the extra broccoli that

needed to be processed in order for the soup to be creamy. This may explain why this soup may

have been described as a littler thinner when compared to the other two soups. Unfortunately, the

amount of time it took to blend all of the soups was not recorded, and so this hypothesis could be

wrong even though it is quite logical. The penetrometer test discussion described a little later will

display even more results on the viscosity and thickness of each of the soups.

The next sub-problem measured in this experiment was appearance. Appearance can be

defined as the way something looks (Bender, 2009). Fats are known to provide coloring to the

foods they are cooked with, especially whenever butter is used. Butter contributes a yellow to

creamy color in products, and this pleasing color plays such a high role because other fats are

colored to stimulate a similar appearance as butter (McWilliams, 2017). Therefore, olive oil may

not be able to replicate the creamy, yellow color in a recipe due to its yellowish-green color.
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The appearance of all three soups were similar in the sense that they were all yellow;

however, the main difference was the shade of yellow that was displayed. Sample 1, or the soup

made with butter, was mainly characterized simply as “yellow.” One subject even went as far as

to say it looks like “regular broccoli cheddar soup,” which was expected because this was the

control and the original recipe. Sample 2, again, had a wide range of characteristics to represent

the soup made with olive oil. Sample two was described as the same color as the control, “more

yellow,” and even “multicolored yellow.” As for Sample 3, this was described as the lightest

yellow color through the phrases “less yellow,” “lighter yellow,” and “palest yellow.” This could

be due to the substitution of oil for butter, as well as the use of more broccoli. Since more

broccoli had to be blended into the soup, the color may have been affected since broccoli is green

and the rest of the soup is yellow.

The ranking of each soup was the next sub-problem measured in this experiment. The

rankings were performed on a scale from 1-3, with 3 being the best tasting and 1 being the least.

Each number was to be used only once in order to create ranked data. The results showed that

Sample 3 was the most liked with 6 votes for best tasting, followed by Sample 1 with 4 first

place votes, and then Sample 2 with none. Sample 1 had the highest score in second best tasting

with a score of 5, followed by Sample 3 with 3 votes, and then Sample 2 with 2. Finally, Sample

2 was the voted the least favorite with 8 ranking that soup third, and it was followed by Sample 1

and Sample 3 each having 1 last place vote. Overall, Sample 3 tasted the best, followed by

Sample 1, and then Sample 2 was the least favorite.

There are many benefits from choosing the sample with the double broccoli and olive oil

instead of butter. To begin, olive oil is composed mainly of monounsaturated fats, which

improve insulin sensitivity and preserve cardiovascular health in patients with Type I diabetes
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(Bozzetto, 2016). Therefore, by eliminating the saturated fats in butter from the diet, the body

will not have to work as hard to break down several stackable fats (Estruch, 2013). Saturated

fatty acids are usually known as the “bad guys” due to their ability to increase the risk of

coronary heart disease. It is also seen that women were most likely to smoke, less likely to

perform physical activity, and less likely to take multivitamin supplements if they consume more

saturated fatty acids (Hu, 1999). Finally, the people who chose Sample 3 over Sample 1 have a

lower energy density due to the extra vegetable through the broccoli and extra monounsaturated

fats through the olive oil. Therefore, the people who enjoyed the double the broccoli recipe have

many more health benefits than the people who chose Sample 1.

There were some limitations that occurred that affected the subjective results. Some

subjects did not understand the flavor, texture, and appearance boxes were to be filled in with

words and phrases instead of numbers and rankings. Therefore, these scorecards were not used in

some of the results. There was also not too much research about the flavor, texture, and

appearance of olive oil and butter in a roux to compare. Therefore, there could be some tests that

may have been more suited for this project, as well as more information that could have proven

the results even further.

Objective test

Viscosity was the last sub-problem from the experiment that was measured, and it was

also the only objective measurement of the experiment. Viscosity can be defined as the measure

of the resistance of a fluid to deformation under shear stress, and it is also perceived as

“thickness” (Bender, 2009). Therefore, the purpose of this test was to compare the thickness of

the three soups and determine whether the substitution of oil, a liquid fat, would influence the
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viscosity of the roux at a hot and/or cold temperature. The results of the line spread test displayed

that Sample 3 had the highest viscosity for both the hot (9.25) and cold (4.25) samples, and

Sample 2 had the lowest viscosity for the hot (6.75) and cold (3) samples. As for the control, or

Sample 1, it was located in between Sample 1 and Sample 2 with a hot soup score or 6.875 and a

cold soup score of 3.25.

It was unexpected to see Sample 3 and Sample 2 be so different in scores because they

were both cooked with oil instead of butter; however, Sample 3 most likely had a thinner

consistency because it had to be blended more with the extra vegetables. Therefore, Sample 1

and Sample 2 were blended for around the same amount of time since they had less vegetables to

process than Sample 3. The information about a roux requiring butter or olive oil is correct

because the olive oil, unexpectedly, created a slightly thicker soup than the control. The viscosity

of the soup could have played an impact on the rankings of the soup due to the favorite soup

having the thinnest consistency, while the thickest soup was the least favorite.

Conclusion

The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect on flavor, texture, appearance,

viscosity, and overall acceptability when olive oil or double the amount of broccoli w/olive oil

were substituted for butter in the roux of broccoli cheddar soup. Although all of the substitutions

within each soup were very successful, the soup with double the broccoli and olive oil ranked

significantly higher than the sample with just olive oil, and doubling the amount of broccoli also

outranked the control on overall taste. It is quite surprising the soup with double the amount of

broccoli and olive oil had a higher rank than the control because it was described as the least

cheesy, thinnest texture, and palest appearance. However, these unique factors could’ve in fact
RUNNING HEAD: BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP 21

contributed to its high rank because it was so unique compared to the other two samples. Also,

the subjects may have preferred the creamy, less chunky soup over the chunky control because it

may have been easier to consume.

The soup with the substitution of double the amount of broccoli with olive oil, or Sample

3, successfully proved both hypotheses to be correct. The viscosity for Sample 3 was much

higher than it was for the control. Also, compared to the control, there was a slight difference in

the flavor, texture, and appearance in the broccoli cheddar soup. The soup with the substitution

of oil for butter, or Sample 2, was not able to successfully prove either one of the hypothesis to

be correct. This is due to the very diverse descriptions of the flavor, texture, and appearance of

the soup because the was either more or less when compared to the control. An example of this

was during the flavor test when some people said Sample 2 was more cheesy while others said it

was less. As for the viscosity hypothesis, the measurements of may have been different as a

whole, but they were only .125-.25 different in their measurements. Therefore, if both of these

measurements were to be asked to round to a whole number, they would be the same.

Overall, the unique flavors and cream, thin texture of the broccoli soup with oil in

substitution of butter makes it a much healthier alternative to the traditional broccoli cheddar

soup. Not only are there several benefits with olive oil, such as a reduced risk of cardiovascular

disease (Estruch, 2013), but it has a lower energy density through the extra broccoli and

monounsaturated fats in the olive oil (Bozzetto, 2016). There may be some consumers that may

be against a different type of soup, since the original is enjoyed very much as it is. However, if a

person were trying to lose weight and reduce their risk for heart disease within a similar tasting

food, this would be the perfect substitute for a broccoli cheddar soup used with butter. Therefore,

doubling the broccoli with the use of oil in broccoli cheddar soup would be a great answer to
RUNNING HEAD: BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP 22

those looking for a healthier alternative to a high energy dense food, and this recipe should be

experimented and researched further in restaurants and grocery chains, such as Wegmans and

Panera.

References

Bender, D. A. (2009). A dictionary of food and nutrition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Bozzetto, L., Alderisio, A., . . . Annuzzi, G. (2016). Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Reduces Glycemic

Response to a High–Glycemic Index Meal in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes: A

Randomized Controlled Trial. Diabetes Care, 39(4), 518-524. doi:10.2337/dc15-2189

Estruch, R. (2012). Effects of Mediterranean diet on the primary prevention of cardiovascular

disease. Http://isrctn.org/>. doi:10.1186/isrctn35739639

Guermazi, Z. (2015). Characterization of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Obtained from Whole and

Destoned Fruits and Optimization of Oil Extraction with a Physical Coadjuvant (Talc)

Using Surface Methodology. Journal of Analytical & Bioanalytical Techniques, 6(6), 1-

8. doi:10.4172/2155-9872.1000278

Hu, Frank B., Stampfer, Meir J., … Willet, Walter, C. (1999). Dietary Saturated Fats and their

Food Sources in Relation to the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Women. The

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 70 (6), 1001-1008.

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/70/6/1001.full.pdf+html

Labensky, S. R., Hause, A. M., & Martel, P. (2011). On cooking: a textbook of culinary
fundamentals. Upper Sadle River, NJ: Pearson.

O’Brien, Richard. (2009) Fats and Oils: Formulating and Processing for Applications. Florida,

CRC Press.

Tuttle, B. (2016, March 03). How Much Can You Save Cooking at Home vs. Restaurants?
RUNNING HEAD: BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP 23

October 05, 2017, http://time.com/money/4245285/costs-restaurants-cooking-at-home

Appendix A

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe:

Recipe 1: Control
● One tablespoon of
butter
● ¼ onion chopped
● ¼ cup melted butter
● ¼ cup flour
● 2 cups of milk
● 2 cups of chicken
stock
● 1 ½ cups broccoli
● 1 cup cut carrots
● 2 ½ cups shredded
sharp cheddar cheese
● Salt and pepper to
taste
Procedure:
Recipe 2: Olive oil Recipe 3: Olive oil with more
● One tablespoon of broccoli
olive oil ● One tablespoon of
● ¼ onion chopped olive oil
● ¼ cup olive oil ● ¼ onion chopped
● ¼ cup flour ● ¼ cup olive oil
● 2 cups of milk ● ¼ cup flour
● 2 cups of chicken ● 2 cups of milk
stock ● 2 cups of chicken
● 1 ½ cups broccoli stock
● 1 cup cut carrots ● 2 cups broccoli
● 2 ½ cups shredded ● 1 cup cut carrots
sharp cheddar cheese ● 2 ½ cups shredded
● Salt and pepper to sharp cheddar cheese
taste ● Salt and pepper to
taste

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil) in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion
in hot butter until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Whisk 1/4 cup melted butter (or olive oil) and flour together in a large saucepan over
medium-low heat; cook until flour loses its granular texture, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons
of milk if necessary to keep the flour from burning, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Gradually pour milk into flour mixture while whisking constantly. Stir chicken stock
into milk mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook until flour taste is gone and mixture is
thickened, about 20 minutes. Add broccoli, carrots, sauteed onion; simmer until
vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Stir Cheddar cheese into vegetable mixture until cheese melts. Season with salt and
pepper to taste.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/235874/copycat-panera-broccoli-cheddar-soup/

Appendix B
RUNNING HEAD: BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP 24

Line Spread Test Chart

Sample Cold Measurement Hot Measurement

Sample Soup 1 4, 3, 4, 2= 3.25 8, 5, 7, 7.5= 6.875

Sample Soup 2 2, 1, 5, 4= 3 6, 7, 7.5, 6.5= 6.75

Sample Soup 3 3, 4, 4, 6= 4.25 8, 9, 10, 10= 9.25

Appendix C

Scorecard

Appearance Texture Taste Rank of Best

Taste (1-3)

Sample Soup 1

Sample Soup 2

Sample Soup 3