2.4.1. Probe Meal
Hummus, hummus, digestive sensations
The meal was served at 20 °C and comprised 200 g hummus (Hummus Classic, Ametller Origen, Barcelona, Spain), 26.7 g toast (108 kcal; 1.2 g fat, 20.3 g carbohydrates, 3.2 g protein, Mini Tostas, Bimbo, Barcelona, Spain), and 120 mL mineral water. Following a stepwise procedure, the meal was administered, divided into four equal servings, with each serving presented every 180 s. Each portion consisted of 50 g of hummus along with 6.6 g of toast, which was placed on a platter. Following each serving, 60 s were designated for participants to evaluate their digestive sensations (as described below). The entire ingestion process lasted for 16 min, and participants could consume the 120 millilitres of water at their own pace throughout the ingestion period. Two recipes of hummus were administered, either with regular fat content (292 kcal; 16 g fat, 109 g carbohydrates, 17 g protein or with masked fat overload by addition of 31.3 g of lard (Mont-Palau, Costa Brava Mediterranean Foods, Girona, Spain). The hummus (regular or high-fat) was either coloured using 1.9 g of a pink colourant that is soluble in fat and is devoid of odour and flavour (Decora, Karma, Salerno, Italy) or non-coloured. To match the lipid content of the coloured meal, the hummus on days 1 and 4 were supplemented with 1.9 g of sunflower oil. The fat content of the hummus and the amount of food to be served were decided upon after a series of initial feasibility studies.