Sensory characteristics of heat-processed and fresh tomato salsa containing honey

Heat-processed and fresh salsa formulations were developed with different l evels of honey (up to 10%), acid, and capsaicin. Descriptive sensory charac teristics and consumer acceptability of the salsas were studied. Increasing levels of honey increased sweetness and crispness of both salsas, Higher l evels of: honey decreased oral heat intensity more than did lower levels. C onsumers liked heat-processed salsa better than fresh and acceptability gen erally decreased with increasing honey content. However, about one-third of consumers liked salsas with honey more than samples without honey.