Physicochemical properties and consumer acceptance of sodium-reduced condiment from fermented horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum)

Abstract

Excessive dietary salt intake is associated with the development of hypertension, causing millions of deaths around the world annually. Meanwhile, food insecurity caused by rapid growth of global population has drawn researchers’ interest in exploiting underutilized legumes as food resources. Hence, the aim of this study was to develop a novel sodium-reduced condiment from a neglected legume, horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum). Different formulations of fermented horse gram condiment (FHGC) were developed by gradual reduction of NaCl content. Nutritional composition and quality parameters of FHGC were assessed in present study. The results showed that amino acid nitrogen content and free amino acid content were both inversely related to NaCl concentration of FHGC. Sensory test conducted revealed that FHGC-12 had the highest consumer acceptability. However, penalty analysis suggested that saltiness was a less significant factor in affecting consumer liking of FHGC. Optimizing the balance of umami, sweet and bitter taste amino acids, in conjunction with NaCl is crucial in affecting acceptability of FHGC, rather than having the highest quantity ratio of amino acids. Therefore, it is imperative to maintain a well-balanced ratio of these key taste components to enhance consumer acceptance of FHGC.