Sensory profiling of dairy starch dessert creams enhanced with various types and concentrations of tahini

Abstract

The study investigated the descriptive attributes and sensory profiles of dairy starch creams (DSC), incorporating various concentrations (3%, 6%, 12%) and types of tahini, namely hazelnut (HT), almond (AT), and sunflower (ST). Quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) was used to describe and quantify sensory descriptors, resulting in a consensual list of attributes. Principal components analysis (PCA) was then applied to characterize the tahini-starch creams. The results have shown that the incorporation of tahini into the dessert creams impacts the perception of sensory attributes. As the concentration of added tahini increased, the products' stability and consistency, as well as sensations of adhesion, homogeneity, and gelatinousness, decreased. The sweet taste sensation heightened with an increase in hazelnut tahini concentration in the desserts. Notably, the cream with 6% almond tahini, positioned in the middle of the PCA plot, demonstrates the most balanced attributes in terms of appearance, aroma, taste, flavor, aftertaste, and texture, with the highest level of homogeneity.