Thermal treatment, jelly processing and sensory evaluation of cactus pear fruit juice

Abstract

Fruit juice plays an important role in human health. In an attempt to increase the use, other than fresh consumption, cactus pear fruit juice was thermally processed (including jelly manufacture) and sensorially analyzed. Fruit from seven cactus pear cultivars used for human consumption, and an animal feed cultivar, was peeled and juice was extracted. Three thermal treatments applied included freezing (-18°C), refrigeration (4°C), and pasteurization (60°C). Ten semi-naïve panelists compared the taste, using their own descriptors and a ten point scale. Twenty four descriptors were generated. The panel was successful in distinguishing between the cultivars used for human consumption and the animal feed cultivar. Pasteurization had a detrimental effect on the flavor of the juice. Descriptive sensory analysis on cactus pear fruit jellies, from seven cactus pear cultivars, compared the following textural attributes: cloudiness, smoothness, pectin content, runniness and cutting edge. Physical analysis of texture was also determined to support the sensory data. There was only a significant difference between the seven cultivars for the sensory descriptor of cloudiness. Both physical tests differed significantly between jellies from the seven cultivars.