Sensory study of alcoholic beverages mangaba (Hancornia speciosa Gomes)

Abstract Mangaba is a nutritionally rich fruit with very distinctive sensory aspects, presenting itself as a potential raw material for the development of new products, such as alcoholic beverages, mainly alcoholic fermented fruit drinks. Thus, the present study aims to develop and analyze microbiologically and sensorially different alcoholic ferments of mangaba. Four fermented formulations were elaborated with variation of the initial soluble solids content and yeast concentration (F1 - smaller soluble solids content/ smaller yeast concentration; F2 - smaller soluble solids content / higher yeast concentration ; F3- higher soluble solids content/ smaller yeast concentration; F4 - higher soluble solids content / higher yeast concentration), according to the process described in the patent “mangaba alcoholic fermented drink”. Microbiological analysis was performed for total and thermotolerant coliforms, enterobacteria, filamentous and non-filamentous fungi, Staphylococcus coagulase positive and Salmonella sp. Sensory analysis was performed with untrained evaluators. The sensory results were treated by the Tukey test and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results showed that all beverages presented <3 NMP counts to coliforms 35 ºC and 45 ºC, absence of Salmonella sp. and < 1x 102 CFU/mL counts to all microorganisms studied. It was also verified good sensory results (average higher 5: I didn't like / dislike) for all the analyzed parameters, and good intent of purchase, with average higher 3 in the scale of 5 points (maybe I would buy / maybe I wouldn't buy), and did not differ statistically to any of the parameters. However, the ACP showed that all the descriptors, except for purchase intent, tended to F3, which was the formulation that stood out among the others. It was concluded that it is feasible to produce alcoholic fermented mangaba beverages, and that all formulations had good microbiological and sensorial characteristics.