Tucupi creamy paste: development, sensory evaluation and rheological characterization

Tucupi, a fermented product obtained from cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is widely employed in the cuisine of the Northern region of Brazil, however, its industrial application is incipient. This study used tucupi to prepare a creamy paste, which underwent sensory and rheological evaluation. Paste formulations with 5 to 20% concentrated tucupi were obtained. An acceptance test was used to assess the product's acceptability regarding the attributes of color, aroma, flavor, texture, and overall impression. A purchase intention test of the product was also applied. The product's rheology was studied at 25, 40, and 60 degrees C and the activation energy (E-a) was estimated. The internal preference mapping indicated that the paste formulation with 5% and 10% tucupi were the most accepted by the judge, but only the 10% tucupi paste was characterized. Proportions greater than 15% tucupi influenced negatively in the flavor and texture of the product. Purchase intention test showed that 99% of the judges demonstrated interest in purchasing the product. The product presented 72.7% moisture, 10.4% lipids, 0.5% proteins, 2.1% ashes, 14.3% carbohydrates, and 7.4 mu g/g beta-carotene. According to the rheological assays, the paste presented characteristics of a pseudoplastic fluid. The Herschel-Bulkley model proved efficient to predict the flow curves for the product in the temperature range tested, for which Ea was estimated at 7.49 kJ/mol.