Sensory evaluation of cooked new sweet potato selections

Abstract

Twelve new sweet potato selections varying in visible characteristics were cooked and evaluated by five groups: a trained taste panel, an untrained taste panel, families in their homes, Haitian agronomists, and elderly people in a retirement home. The characteristics evaluated were appearance, mouthfeel (perceived texture), flavor, sweetness, and overall acceptability. Only one selection was rejected by all groups that tried it, SPV 52, a non-sweet, very dry type. Among the remaining selections, SPV 44, 55, 56, 70 and 71 were highly rated. Selection SPV 70 is not sweet, but was very highly rated by the Haitian agronomists, the untrained panel, and the families. Two orange-fleshed cultivars were readily accepted (SPV 43 and 46). Overall acceptability was correlated with mouthfeel and flavor, but not with appearance or sweetness.