Comparison of Vegetarian Sausages: Proximal Composition, Instrumental Texture, Rapid Descriptive Sensory Method and Overall Consumer Liking

Abstract

The aim of the present research was to determine if the developed ovo-vegetarian sausage (SO), which was made with 15% chickpea flour, 51% albumin and 34% soy protein concentrate, exhibited improved physicochemical and sensory characteristics compared to vegetarian sausages available on the local market (classic vegan sausage, SC; vegan fine herb sausage, SH; and quinoa sausage, SQ). According to the physicochemical results, the developed sample, SO, presented significant differences (p < 0.05) compared to the others, including higher protein content, lower pH and a higher a* value. Three types of sensory analyses were conducted-flash profile, overall liking and purchase intention (to determine consumers' willingness to purchase the product)-with the first involving 15 consumers and the second and third involving 60 participants each. Descriptors for each sample were determined using the vocabulary provided by consumers in the flash profile analysis. Descriptors for SO included 'elastic', 'smell of cooked corn', 'characteristic flavor', 'pasty', 'soft' and 'pastel color', contributing to its greater overall liking and purchase intention compared to the others. Through the hierarchical multiple factor analysis, a positive correlation was observed between the texture and sensory descriptors of the flash profile. Conversely, a correlation was found between the physicochemical characteristics (pH, a_w, color) and overall liking and purchase intention.

Keywords: flash profile; hedonic scale; overall liking; plant based sausages; purchase intention; sensory descriptors; texture profile analysis.

Figure 1

Ovo−vegetarian (SO), classic vegan (SC), quinoa vegan (SQ), and fine herb vegan (SH) sausage samples. Scale bars: 10 mm.

Figure 2

Two-dimensional graph using the flash profile: samples (a) and attributes (b). SO: ovo−vegetarian sausage; SH: vegan fine herb sausage; SQ: vegan quinoa sausage; SC: classic vegan sausage.

Figure 2

Two-dimensional graph using the flash profile: samples (a) and attributes (b). SO: ovo−vegetarian sausage; SH: vegan fine herb sausage; SQ: vegan quinoa sausage; SC: classic vegan sausage.

Figure 3

Evaluation results of overall liking (9-point hedonic scale) and purchase intention (5-point scale) of the ovo−vegetarian sausage (SO) and three commercial vegan sausages: SH (vegan fine herb sausage), SQ (vegan quinoa sausage) and SC (classic vegan sausage). Different uppercase letters indicate that data in the overall liking have significant statistical differences (p < 0.05). Different lowercase letters indicate that data in the purchase intention have significant statistical differences (p < 0.05).

Figure 4

Hierarchical multiple factor analysis (HMFA) generated with the sensory profile and the physicochemical characteristics and texture profile of the sausage samples: (a) two-dimensional graphic representation of the response variables evaluated in the sausage samples, (b) correlation of the sensory profile with the physicochemical characteristics and texture profile, (c) confidence ellipses of the sausage samples with a confidence level of 95% (1 − α = 0.95), (d) comparison and statistical approximation of the sausage samples.