Correlation between Physical properties and sensory evaluation of Extruded Phyto-snack.

Abstract

Background: Snack products are ubiquitous in modern dietary habits, and their sensory attributes play a critical role in consumer preferences. The texture of snacks, characterized by fracturability, hardness, and chewiness, influences consumer acceptance. This study focuses on investigating the interplay between the physical properties of an extruded snack product and its sensory attributes. Objectives: to explore the potential correlations between these texture profiles and sensory attributes. Method: Texture profile analysis (TPA) was employed to measure the snack's fracturability, hardness, and chewiness. A panel of 100 participants was engaged in sensory evaluation, using a hedonic scale to rate the snack's attributes. Pearson's correlation coefficient was employed to investigate potential associations between the texture profile and sensory attributes. Results: the physical properties, including Fracturability (35.266±0.58 N), Hardness (52.611±0.73 N), and Chewiness (15.89±3.36), were determined through Texture Profile Analysis (TPA). Concurrently, sensory attributes were evaluated by a panel of 100 untrained assessors. The sensory ratings for Fracturability (4.58±0.87), Hardness (4.21±0.98), Chewiness (3.87±1.25), Appearance (4.30±1.06), Overall Tasting (4.15±0.61), Overall Liking (4.56±0.94), and Overall Acceptance (4.40±1.31) provide valuable insights into the product's sensory appeal. The correlation values between the TPA data and sensory attributes of the extruded snack product. Pearson's correlation coefficients reveal significant relationships between physical properties and sensory attributes. Notably, Fracturability exhibits a strong positive correlation with Fracturability in sensory evaluation (r = 0.776, p < 0.05). Similarly, Hardness demonstrates moderate positive correlations with both Fracturability (r = 0.452, p < 0.05) and Chewiness (r = 0.687, p < 0.05), while Chewiness is moderately correlated with Fracturability (r = 0.634, p < 0.05) and Hardness (r = 0.769, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings provide valuable insights for the food industry, emphasizing optimizing texture characteristics to enhance snack products' sensory appeal and satisfy consumer preferences.