Sensory Analysis of Dehydrated Plums and Pears
Abstract
Smoked plums and pears are highly appreciated in Romanian food culture as traditional healthy dessert. Safety concerns about smoked fruits led to the application of slow dehydration at low temperatures (SDLT) as gentle method to prologue the product shelf life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the consumers` expectations and perception both prior and after tasting of dried plums and pears obtained by SDLT. A questionnaire of 15 questions with 5 point Hedonic scale was addressed to regular consumers of dried fruits (N=79). Alongside with willingness to buy and perception of product quality, the respondent`s expectations were evaluated before tasting the product (for product general appearance, colour and expected taste) and after tasting (for taste and consistency). Promising results were obtained for both pears and plums, thus concluding that the respondents are open to accept new processing methods for traditional products as long as there is a beneficial sensorial advantage in the perceived quality of the product.
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