Sensory Analysis of Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) Pulp Puree: Consumer Appraisal and Descriptive Lexicon

Consumer and descriptive sensory analysis was performed on pawpaw pulp. Consumer sensory analysis showed that mango was preferred compared to the pawpaw, but that only one-third of those who preferred the mango were correctly able to identify it. Consumers generated 25 flavor descriptors for pawpaw pulp, with banana and mango being the most identified. Descriptive sensory analysis was performed on pawpaw pulp that was stored frozen in the presence or absence of air and with and without heat treatment. Differences in color were detected, however no differences in any of the sensory attributes were detected during 12 months of frozen storage, suggesting that the flavor of pawpaw pulp is stable during frozen storage. The comprehensive analysis of the sensory and quality of pawpaw pulp described in this paper, including the development of a defined, standardized pawpaw sensory lexicon, is an important step in the evolution of pawpaw research.