title: Utilization of physicochemical variables developed from changes in sensory attributes and consumer acceptability to predict the shelf life of fresh-cut mango fruit.
abstract: Sensory evaluation is the ideal tool for shelf-life determination. With the objective to develop an easy shelf-life indicator, color (L*, a*, b*, chroma and hue angle), total soluble solids (TSS), firmness (F), pH, acidity, and the sensory attributes of appearance, brightness, browning, odor, flavor, texture, color, acidity and sweetness were evaluated in fresh cut mangoes (FCM) stored at 5, 10, 15 and 20 °C. Overall acceptability was evaluated by consumers. Correlation analysis between sensory attributes and physicochemical variables was carried out. Physicochemical cut-off points based on sensory attributes and consumer acceptability was obtained by regression analysis and utilized to estimate FCM shelf-life by kinetic models fitted to each variable. The validation of the model was done by comparing the shelf life estimated by kinetic models and consumers. It was recorded large correlations between appearance, brightness, and color with L*; appearance and color with chroma and hue angle; sweetness and flavor with TSS, and between F and texture. The shelf life estimated based on consumer using a 9 point hedonic scale was in the range of 10-12, 2.3-2.6, 1.3-1.5 and 1.0-1.1 days for 5, 10, 15 and 20 °C. It was recorded large correlation coefficients between the shelf life estimated by consumer acceptability scores and physicochemical variables. Kinetic models based on physicochemical variables showed a tendency to overestimate the shelf life as compared with the models bases on the sensory attributes. It was concluded that physicochemical variables can be used as a tool to estimate the FCM shelf life.
authors.affiliation: División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Km 25 carr. Villahermosa-Teapa, C.P. 86000 Centro, Tabasco Mexico.
authors.forename: Rosa María
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Salinas-Hernández
authors.affiliation: Coordinación de Tecnología de Alimentos de Origen Vegetal, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C., Carretera a la Victoria km. 0.6, Apartado Postal 1735, Hermosillo, Sonora 83000 Mexico.
authors.forename: Gustavo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: González-Aguilar
authors.affiliation: Coordinación de Tecnología de Alimentos de Origen Vegetal, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C., Carretera a la Victoria km. 0.6, Apartado Postal 1735, Hermosillo, Sonora 83000 Mexico.
authors.forename: Martín Ernesto
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Tiznado-Hernández
keywords: Consumer acceptability; Fresh-cut fruits; Mathematical models; Sensory quality; Shelf life prediction