The THE EFFECT OF VARYING SUGAR AND CITRIC ACID ADDITIONS ON THE ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF READY-TO-EAT SWEET POTATO

Abstract

This research investigated the influence of different sugar and citric acid additions on the organoleptic properties of ready-to-eat sweet potato. Three formulations were prepared, namely Formulation A (without sugar and citric acid), Formulation B (with sugar), and Formulation C (with sugar and 0.05% citric acid). Sensory evaluation was conducted with 15 panelists using a five-point hedonic scale to assess color, aroma, taste, texture, and overall acceptability. The collected data were analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk test, followed by the Friedman test and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. The findings revealed that the treatments significantly influenced color, texture, and overall acceptability (p < 0.05), whereas aroma and taste were not significantly affected (p > 0.05). Panelists rated Formulation C highest for color, while Formulation A obtained the highest scores for aroma, taste, and overall acceptance. Overall, Formulation A demonstrated the greatest level of consumer acceptance among the tested formulations.