Sensory acceptability of cinnamon flavoured beverages developed with Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) leaf extract

Abstract

The world looks for bold and exotic new food flavours to the food industry. Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume) is designated globally as the true cinnamon due to its distinct characteristics. The taste and aromatic characteristics of cinnamon drastically vary with the origin. Although a substantial number of products have been developed using Ceylon cinnamon bark, there has been a wider hiatus in development of new food products from cinnamon leaves. The present study attempted to recon the sensory acceptability of newly developed two cinnamon-based beverage products which are made from semi-mature C. zeylanicum leaf, a hot beverage, and a cold beverage. A trained sensory panel (n=20) was given these two-leaf cinnamon flavoured beverages to study the sensory acceptability in cinnamon leaf flavoured beverages towards novel product development. A nine-point hedonic-sensory evaluation was done for each product. As per the results of the sensory test, the willingness of drinking leaf based cinnamon tea (hot) and carbonated beverage (cold) seemed favourable as like response (hedonic score 6, 7, 8, 9) of overall acceptability is 72.22% and 100%, respectively. Colour, brightness and aroma of the tea have reported 55.56%, 61.11% and 72.22% like responses, respectively. The bitterness of the product was identified as 22.22% of very much like (hedonic score 8). The colour, aroma, taste, cinnamon flavour, carbonation, acidity, body, mouth coating and after feel of carbonated drink reported as above 80% of like responses (hedonic score 6, 7, 8, 9) while colour, aroma and cinnamon flavour has 63.16%, 57.89% and 57.89%, respectively of very much like responses (hedonic score 8). However, the sweetness of the carbonated drink seemed high as more than 50% of dislike response reported form the sensory panel with 26.32% of slightly dislike (hedonic score 4) because cinnamon itself has sweetness and need to maintain low sugar levels when utilizing cinnamon leaves as a food flavour for beverages. The cinnamon leaves have a good potential to use as a flavour compound for beverages.