Due to the attack of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) plants by the fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa which caused witches' broom disease in the state of Bahia, Brazil, resistant clonal material with elevated productivity and superior physical characteristics has been selected for use in the genetic improvement program and by the cocoa producers themselves. The present study aimed to characterize the cocoa butter and chocolates produced from nine cacao varieties and also from the Amelonado cacao produced in the same region (denominated as Common), with a view to quality improvement. The cocoa butter was characterized for its solid fat content and triacylglycerol composition, and the chocolates for their moisture and protein contents, maximum particle diameter, pH value, acidity, rheological properties and instrumental texture, as well as a sensory test for acceptability with 50 consumers. A relationship was found between the triacylglycerol composition and solid fat curves of the cocoa butters and the instrumental texture of the chocolates, the highest values for the latter parameter being observed for the varieties with greater amounts of symmetrical triacylglycerols and greater solid fat contents at the temperatures evaluated. From a sensory point of view, it was shown that overall acceptance and buying intention were mainly determined by the attributes of ''astringency,'' ''bitterness,'' ''acidity'' and ''chocolate flavor.'' It was also shown that chocolates produced from varieties descendent from the Trinitario group were differentiated from those descendent from the Forastero group, showing the preference of consumers for these materials and the possibility of a gain in quality in the genetic improvement of cacao by including varieties descended from the Trinitario and Criollo groups in the crossing programs, associating disease resistance with product quality.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensory characteristics of mortadellas with different fat contents using Descriptive Analysis (DA) and Check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions and their relationship with overall liking (OL). Five mortadella samples were studied. Sample 1, containing 16% fat. Sample 2 was formulated with 8% fat. Samples 3 and 4 were prepared by replacing 50% fat by a pre-emulsion composed of fish, canola and olive oil. A commercial fat-reduced sample was also studied. The sensory characteristics of the samples were evaluated by DA. Besides, eighty-four consumers evaluated their OL using a 9-point scale and answered the CATA questions. Replacement or reduction of fat caused changes in the sensory characteristics of the samples. Commercial mortadella was the most liked. CATA questions along with penalty analysis and partial least squares regression (PLSR) of dummy variables on the OL helped to identify the attributes to be changed in the mortadella formulations.

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The objective of this work was to present a sensory description of conilon coffee (Coffea canephora) brews produced from genotypes developed for the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The genotypes 'Diamante ES8112', 'ES8122', and 'Centenária ES8132' were evaluated. Nine samples from three clones (genotypes) of each cultivar, from two different regions of the state, were analyzed. A panel of tasters for coffee sensory evaluation was trained to obtain a descriptive profile and to select terms. Beverages were described as showing a higher intensity of powder fragrance, characteristic aroma of coffee brew, body, characteristic flavor and aftertaste, and a lower intensity of bitterness, acidity, astringency, and defects. The terms bitterness, strong, body, astringency, and coffee aftertaste were the most relevant in the characterization of the beverages of the studied C. canephora cultivars. Acidity is the attribute with the greatest impact on the overall quality of C. canephora brew. The coffee brews of the clones of 'Diamante ES8112', 'ES8122', and 'Centenária ES8132' are classified as of traditional quality, but near the superior category.

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