Comparison of acceptability of tropical fruit mixed nectars by mean test and multivariate statistical analysis

Henrique Machado Sousa, PauloMota Ramos, AfonsoArraes Maia, GeraldoSousa Brito, EdySantos Garruti, DeborahWilane Figueiredo, Raimundo

Fruits are a rich source of nutrients and fruit juices are a popular way of consuming them. Development of mixed juices, where two or more fruit juices are blended to obtain a product that combines the nutritional value of fruits, has been encouraged by the food industry and well accepted by consumers. This work aimed to develop mixed nectars of tropical fruits (cashew apple, mango and acerola) and to compare the acceptability data by mean test and multivariate statistical analysis of hierarchic grouping and principal compounds. The tropical fruit nectars showed good acceptability, the formulations with higher mango and cashew and lower acerola contents the most accepted. The formulation with 12.25% cashew apple pulp, 21% mango pulp and 1.75% acerola pulp had the highest global evaluation score. However, it could be observed by the cluster analysis of consumers data and posterior principal components analysis of these results a clearly segmentation of consumers.

1. Cashew apple
2. Mango
3. Consumers.
4. Processamento de Produtos de Origem Vegetal
5. Acerola
6. Global impression