Title : Evaluating consumer acceptability of flavored cashew apple leather for circularity in Northern Côte d'Ivoire
Abstract:
In Cote d’Ivoire, around 90% of cashew apples are currently discarded as waste. To address this issue, a study was conducted to investigate the sustainability and sensory appeal of converting cashew apples into fruit leather, given their high nutritional content, particularly in terms of vitamin C, fiber, and essential minerals. Five flavors of fruit leather formulations were developed using Cashew apple and Mango (CM) pulp as a base: F1 (plain CM), F2 (Roselle), F3 (Tamarind), F4 (Baobab), and F5 (Ginger). A sensory evaluation using a 7-point hedonic scale (1 = very much disliked, 7 = very much like) with 70 untrained participants (25 female, 45 males: age 20-50) was performed to measure consumer acceptance. Overall, 71-81% of panelists liked the products: F3 81%, F1 and F5 79%, F4 76% and F2 71%. Texture (chewiness) was satisfactory for only 50% of panelists for F2 and F4, and only 40% of panelists were satisfied with F2’s color. While aroma and acidity ratings did not differ significantly across flavors (p > 0.05), significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in appearance, color, sweetness and chewiness. Overall liking did not differ statistically and remained in the “neutral” to “somewhat liked” range, suggesting that participants widely accepted all five formulations. These results indicate that cashew apple fruit leather is a promising approach for reducing post-harvest loss while providing a nutrient-dense snack. Further refining of the texture (chewiness), particularly for baobab and roselle varieties, may help increase consumer acceptance.
Keywords: Cashew Apples, Fruit Leather, Tamarind, Roselle Calyces, Baobab Powder, Mango, Ginger.
