Sensory analysis of a β-carotene-rich processed food used to combat vitamin a deficiency

Provitamin A and pre-formed vitamin A compounds are essential micronutrients for humans. However, vitamin A deficiency (VAD) affects the health status of nearly 50% of populations in Southeast Asia and sub-Sahara Africa, especially preschool children and pregnant women. To address VAD issues, a product incorporating sweet potato puree, pure peanut butter, and chickpeas was developed. To improve product palatability, natural seasonings were added and three product formulations were created: unflavored, curry-flavored, and pumpkin spice-flavored. Sensory analysis of the three products showed that the curry-flavored product received the highest acceptability over the other two products in terms of overall liking, flavor, texture, and appearance (p<0.001). Since the demographic effect was not statistically significant (p>0.05), it is highly likely that the curry-flavored product can be implemented in other countries or areas with high acceptability.