DESCRIPTIVE SENSORY PROFILING OF WHOLE-GRAIN SOURDOUGH BREADS: A COMPARISON OF METHODS

Sensory characterization can be performed using different methodologies that vary in evaluator training, response collection, and the type of information generated. In this context, comparing sensory methods can contribute to selecting appropriate approaches for food product characterization. This study aimed to compare Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA), Check-All-That-Apply (CATA), and Just-About-Right (JAR) methods for the sensory characterization of whole-wheat breads produced with sourdough containing Opuntia dillenii pulp and autochthonous cultures of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 47 and Levilactobacillus brevis 83. Four formulations were evaluated: Control, PSp47, PSb83, and PSMix. For QDA, 26 candidates underwent sensory screening, of whom 12 were selected and trained to evaluate attributes related to appearance, aroma, texture, and taste. Training resulted in a consensual set of 12 descriptors, including crumb porosity, apparent moisture, fermented aroma, vegetal aroma, crumb softness, acidity, and vegetal aftertaste. CATA and JAR were performed by 40 untrained consumers. In CATA, participants selected all terms considered appropriate to describe each sample, whereas in JAR, they rated attribute intensities according to below-ideal, ideal, and above-ideal categories. The three methods discriminated among the formulations while providing complementary sensory information. QDA characterized PSp47 and PSb83 mainly by greater softness, moisture, and vegetal aroma. In CATA, PSb83 and PSMix were more strongly associated with attributes related to crumb porosity and moisture, whereas the Control was characterized by a dense, less aerated, and drier crumb. JAR indicated greater suitability of the sourdough formulations regarding attributes associated with texture and crumb structure. Among the formulations, PSb83 showed the greatest correspondence across the sensory methods. Overall, QDA, CATA, and JAR provided distinct but complementary perspectives: QDA enabled a detailed characterization of attribute intensity by trained assessors, CATA identified the descriptors most strongly associated with each sample by consumers, and JAR provided information on the perceived adequacy of attribute intensities. Therefore, combining these methods provided a more comprehensive understanding of the sensory profile of whole-wheat sourdough breads and allowed the identification of convergences between descriptive characterization and consumer perception.

The authors acknowledge the financial support of FAPESQ-PB (Call No. 49/2024), the CNPq Universal Call No. 44/2024 – Emerging Research Groups (Track A), and the INOVCACT project, funded through the MCTI/FINEP/FNDCT/CT-AGRO Public Call – Bioeconomy Production Chains Program – ICT Support (Call No. 01/2022).