Important sensory attributes affecting consumer acceptance of sorghum porridge in West Africa as related to quality tests

Studies were conducted in Niger, West Africa to determine the most importan t sorghum porridge quality parameters that affect consumer acceptance. Cons umer sensory evaluation was carried out on 14 sorghum cultivars varying in pericarp colour and endosperm hardness. Laboratory analyses were then condu cted to determine the physical and chemical properties of the grain respons ible for porridge quality. Porridge texture was evaluated using three diffe rent techniques and porridge colour was measured using the Hunter Lab color imeter. Results were compared with consumer ratings. The textural character istics of stickiness in the mouth and cohesiveness were found to be the mos t important sensory attributes, followed by the taste and aroma of the prod uct. Instron slope measurement was the most reliable objective method for p redicting consumer response to texture followed by the penetrometer method. The gel consistency test showed some association with consumer rating for porridge texture but had no significant relationship with consumer ratings of porridge texture intensity. A wide range of porridge colour was acceptab le to consumers with only brown or dark-coloured porridge being rejected. C onsumer rating for porridge colour correlated significantly with Hunter L a nd Delta E values. Porridge quality was affected by grain hardness, but non e of the proximate components (ash, fat, and protein) of the decorticated g rains correlated with the texture of the product. (C) 1999 Academic Press.