Projective mapping: potential tool for sensory evaluation of coffees for industrial application

Sensory analysis is an important tool to control and improve the quality of food products. This study aimed to evaluate the sensory attributes and consumer preference of coffee beverages prepared from roasted ground coffee (Coffea arabica) of different brands sold in Minas Gerais, Brazil, using projective mapping and assess the relationship of sensory attributes and consumer preferences with physicochemical properties. Titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids, color, crude fat, protein, total phenolic content, caffeine. trigonelline, 5-caffeoylquinic acid and caffeic acid were determined. Physicochemical properties showed good agreement with projective mapping data. Samples associated with high acidity in the projective mapping task had the highest levels of 5-caffeoylquinic acid. Coffees associated with bitter/roasted taste and darker colors had typical physicochemical characteristics and color properties of dark-roasted coffee. The sample perceived as thin had the lowest soluble solids content. Consumers preferred traditional, dark-roasted coffee over gourmet, light-roasted coffee. Projective mapping is an effective technique for assessing the sensory attributes of brewed coffee.