Stabilization and Sensory Evaluation of Cashew Apple Juice (Anacardium occidentale L.) from the Northeast Region in Côte d'Ivoire

The aim of this work is to study the stability under predefined conditions of cashew nut juice and its sensory evaluations. Cashew apple juices have a pleasant taste and are generally marketed as frozen pulp, juice and nectar. This study examined the stability of the different samples of pasteurized cashew apple juice at 75°C/5 min and 90°C/30s and stored at different temperatures. Parameters such as pH, acidity, Refractometric Dry Extract (ESR), total sugar content, reducing sugars, vitamin C and microbiological analysis were determined on the juices. Pasteurization scales and storage time have shown a significant influence on the evolution of these parameters. Thus, the evolution of pH, acidity and ESR is due to the degradation of total sugars, reducing sugars and vitamin C used as substrates in the various reactions. Of these substrates studied, vitamin C is the compound that degrades most rapidly. Microbiological analysis also revealed the absence of total and fecal coliforms. The sensory evaluation showed that physicochemical and to a lesser extent microbiological variations in the environment did not influence the assessment of the juice samples. In short, the pasteurization rate of 75°C/5 min and the storage time for 5 days can be retained for a better preservation of the physicochemical characteristics. Thermal treatment, notwithstanding the degradation caused by vitamin C, appears to be an effective way of preserving cashew apple juice.