Sensory characterization of commercial soluble coffees by Flash Profile

Abstract

In today’s competitive market, there is a lack of simple methods for sensory characterization of products. The Flash Profile is a combination of the Free Choice Profiling terms selection with a ranking method, based on the simultaneous presentation of all samples to be evaluated, providing a quick description and discrimination of a set of products. Thus, this study aimed to apply the Flash profile method on the characterization of commercial soluble coffees. Four soluble coffees selected by presenting diversity in the production process and composition were evaluated by 32 assessors in a single session. The coffee brews were prepared with 28 g of soluble coffee per 1000 mL of purified water, and added of 9.5 % sucrose. Initially, the whole set of samples were presented simultaneously for the glossary development. In individual discussion, each assessor was assisted on the elaboration of individual score sheet with the definition of each attribute. Subsequently, the four coffee beverages were presented simultaneously to the assessor, who ordered the samples in ascending order for the intensity of each attribute on its score sheet. The results were analyzed by Generalized Procrustes Analysis. The most relevant attributes in the description and discrimination of sweetened coffee brews were brown color, aroma and flavor of coffee, bitter taste, sweet taste and the presence of oil on the brew surface. The Flash Profile method was efficient on the description and discrimination of a complex food matrix as soluble coffee, presenting consensus among the assessors, and a fast assessment.