Influence of the cooking system, chemical composition, and α-amylase activity on the sensory profile of chestnut cultivars - longal and judia - and their consequence on consumer's acceptability

Abstract

The chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill) is a nut with single nutritional and sensory properties that play an essential role in human nutrition, especially in celiac patients, where it is highly recommended for that diet. This study aims to understand the influence of the chestnut cooking process, chemical composition, and tasters α-amylase activity on the sensory profile of Castanea sativa Mill chestnut cultivars. - Longal and Judia - and their consequence on consumer acceptance. The methodology focuses on enzymatic kits for measuring α-amylase enzyme activity, quantifying crude protein, starch, and crude fat by analytical methods, and evaluating consumer perception through sensory descriptive tests.After analysis of the chemical composition, it was possible to verify that chestnuts of both cultivars have a high starch concentration, influencing the taster's α-amylase activity, and at the same time, are low in sugar and fat. These characteristics make chestnuts a high-energy food. The results also showed chemical correlations between the amount of starch and soluble sugars and crude fat and protein content. In addition, the analysis of the CATA test (Check-All-That-Apply), applied to consumers, and a QDA test (Quantitative Descriptive Analysis), applied to a trained tasting panel, denoted that roasted Judia and Longal are chestnuts with sensory attributes highly appreciated. Moreover, the higher α-amylase activity detected when tasting chestnuts from the Judia cultivar may not necessarily result in a sweeter or more dissoluble chestnut.