SENSORY OF TAMARINDO JELLY WITH PARTIAL ADDITION OF HONEY FROM Apis mellifera

Abstract

Honey is a food rich in nutrients. It is mostly composed by hydrocarbons (75%), simple sugars (glucose and fructose); water (20%); minerals (calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, among others), amino acids, organic acids (acetic acid, citric acid, among others), vitamins C, D, E and a considerable content of antioxidants (flavonoids and phenolics). An alternative to use tamarind fruits not selected for consumption in nature and minimize post-harvest losses is the production of jam. Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) has a great social importance for family farming, which make necessary to use this fruit to elaborate products in order to increase its commercial interest. Therefore, the aim of this study was to produce tamarind jam using honey as a sugar replacer to improve the nutritional value. Three formulations were produced, G0 (100% sucrose), G1 (25% honey, 75% sucrose) and G2 65% honey, 35% sucrose). The jams were prepared at the Vegetable Technology Laboratory of the Federal Institute of Paraiba-Campus Sousa. Fifty untrained assessors among students, teachers and staffs of the institution participated in the assessment. The test was performed using a hedonic scale with nine points to evaluate the following attributes: appearance, aroma, flavor, color and overall impression. The samples G1 and G2 showed greater acceptance for flavor (p < 0.05), this sample presented more solidity than others. Regarding the other attributes, the samples presented similar acceptance (p> 0.05). Therefore, Apis mellifera honey can be added to the tamarind's jam without negatively influencing its sensory appearance, as well as improving its nutritional value and acceptance.