How are the sensory properties perceived by consumers? A case study with pressurized tropical mixed juice

Tropical fruits, such as cashew apple, acerola, and melon, can be used to obtain innovative juices with high contents of bioactive compounds. Technological processes are needed to ensure the safety of products during their shelf life. However, these processes can modify the sensory properties of the juice, which have an important role in consumer acceptance. From this perspective, this study aimed to evaluate consumer perception of the sensory characteristics of tropical mixed juice based on cashew apple, acerola, and melon obtained using different processing methods during cold storage at 4° C. Microbiological aspects were monitored during refrigerated storage at 4 °C. Samples were exposed to four technological processes: control (unprocessed), pasteurization (90 °C/1 min), and high-pressure processing: HHP1 (500 MPa/5 min) and HHP2 (520 MPa/2 min). Thirty fruit juice consumers participated in the characterization of mixed juices using rate-all-that-apply (RATA) questions. Samples were analyzed at zero, 14, and 28 days of storage at 4 °C. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, and Fisher's test was used for post-hoc comparison of means and PCA. Results showed that 12 of the 22 RATA terms differed (p ≤ 0.05) regarding the mean perceived intensity, suggesting that consumers perceived differences in the sensory characteristics of the juices. The first dimension of the PCA separated the pasteurized juices from the others. Pasteurized samples were characterized by yellow color, cooked aroma, cooked flavor, off aroma, off flavor, stale aroma, and stale flavor. On the other hand, the unprocessed (control) and pressurized (HPP1 and HPP2) juices were characterized by orange color, fruit aroma, fruit flavor, sweet aroma, fresh juice, and watery consistency. Results confirmed the suitability of the sensory characterization performed by consumers using RATA and the potential of HHP to obtain juices with sensory characteristics similar to the fresh product.