Sensory and Quality Evaluation of Sesame (Sesamum indicum) Seed-Based Salad Cream

Abstract

Sensory and quality evaluation provides information on consumers’ perception and nutritional composition of a food product. This study was carried out to determine the nutritional composition, viscosity and sensory qualities of sesame seed-based salad cream containing varied quantities of acetic acid and sugar. Preliminary sensory evaluation using the Hedonic test was carried out on 12 samples to obtain 3 best products for analyses. Proximate, vitamin, mineral salt, fatty acid, amino acid composition and viscosity were determined using standard methods. A Preliminary sensory evaluation showed that sesame seed-based salad cream containing 0% acetic acid and 6% sugar, 2% acetic acid and 6% sugar, and 4% acetic acid and 4% sugar were the first three preferred products. Proximate analysis showed that the sesame seed-based salad cream samples had high fat content and low moisture and protein content. The samples had higher vitamin B3, copper, iron, zinc, and manganese contents. The essential fatty acid, aspartate, and asparagine contents of the samples were significantly different (P<0.05) from the commercial sample. The viscosity of the samples decreased with increasing shear rate, depicting a pseudoplastic behaviour. No significant difference (P>0.05) was observed in the organoleptic properties of all the samples evaluated.