Author(s): VIT, P.; SANCHO, T.; PASCUAL, A.; DELIZA, R.

Summary: Five types of tropical pot honeys produced in Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela by Melipona, Scaptotrigona and Tetragonula species were described by a Spanish untrained sensory panel. The free-choice profile (FCP) method consents consumers to use their own words to describe and to quantify the sensory attributes of the product: Appearance, odour, flavour and mouth and throat trigeminal sensations. Data were processed with Generalized Procrustes Analysis (GPA). The first and second dimensions accounted for 60% of the variance. The first dimension was explained by the amber colour, sour and bitter tastes, mellow, nuts and medicinal aromas, and the refreshing trigeminal sensation. The second dimension was explained by suspended particles, fermented odour and aroma, and floral odour. The bidimensional plot separated Melipona from Tetragonula honeys, with intermediate Scaptotrigona according to the second dimension, similarly to previous findings based on physicochemical compositional factors. Assessors differentiated five types of pot honey. The free choice profiling was helpful to picture consumer perception of Meliponini pot honey. Additionally, the GPA generated a handy bidimensional plot positioning honey according to the entomological genus of origin.

Publication year: 2011

Types of publication: Journal article

Unit: Embrapa Food Technology

Keywords: Análise sensorial, Consumidor espanhol, Mel