SENSORY ACCEPTANCE OF YOGURT WITH ADDED PSYILLIUM MUCILAGE

The incorporation of dietary fibers into dairy products has been widely studied due to its potential health benefits and the possibility of adding functional value. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensory acceptance of yogurts made with the addition of psyllium (Plantago ovata L.), in the whole or mucilage form, compared to a control sample. The formulations analyzed were: control (C), added 1% whole psyllium (F1) and 2% psyllium mucilage (F2). The sensory analysis was conducted with 108 untrained evaluators, using a nine-point hedonic scale test for the attributes appearance, aroma, flavor, acidity, consistency and global acceptance, in addition to the five-point purchase intention scale. Samples C and F2 presented averages above 7.5 for all attributes, indicating good sensory acceptance. The control sample obtained the highest averages for global acceptance (8.5), appearance (8.3), consistency (8.2) and purchase intention (4.7). The F2 formulation, with 2% mucilage, presented results close to the control sample, not differing significantly in aroma, flavor and acidity, with an average purchase intention of 4.4. The F1 sample, containing whole psyllium, showed lower global acceptance (6.1) and less favorable appearance, attributed to the visible presence of fiber particles. These results indicate that the addition of psyllium mucilage maintains the sensory acceptability of natural yogurt and may be a technological alternative for the development of functional dairy products enriched with dietary fiber, without compromising the sensory characteristics desired by consumers.