Stabilization and Sensory Evaluation of Cashew Apple Juice (Anacardium occidentale L.) from the Northeast Region in Côte d'Ivoire
Author(s): Adou Marc, Tetchi Fabrice Achille, Adjouman Yao Desire, Amani N Guessan Georges
The aim of this work is to study the stability under predefined conditions of cashew nut juice and its sensory evaluations. Cashew apple juices have a pleasant taste and are generally marketed as frozen pulp, juice and nectar. This study examined the stability of the different samples of pasteurized cashew apple juice at 75°C/5 min and 90°C/30s and stored at different temperatures. Parameters such as pH, acidity, Refractometric Dry Extract (ESR), total sugar content, reducing sugars, vitamin C and microbiological analysis were determined on the juices. Pasteurization scales and storage time have shown a significant influence on the evolution of these parameters. Thus, the evolution of pH, acidity and ESR is due to the degradation of total sugars, reducing sugars and vitamin C used as substrates in the various reactions. Of these substrates studied, vitamin C is the compound that degrades most rapidly. Microbiological analysis also revealed the absence of total and fecal coliforms. The sensory evaluation showed that physicochemical and to a lesser extent microbiological variations in the environment did not influence the assessment of the juice samples. In short, the pasteurization rate of 75°C/5 min and the storage time for 5 days can be retained for a better preservation of the physicochemical characteristics. Thermal treatment, notwithstanding the degradation caused by vitamin C, appears to be an effective way of preserving cashew apple juice.