Note. Consumer Awareness of the Main Sensory Attributes of Tepache, a Traditional Fermented Fruit Beverage

Four tepache samples (a traditional fermented fruit beverage) from four different sources obtained by different fermentation processes were sensory evaluated. A paired comparison test between the samples was carried out in a monadic sequential fashion in six sessions with 70 consumers each. A sample processed by double fermentation received the highest mean scores for the first impression and overall acceptance and in the sensory attributes of appearance, consistency, odor, flavor and sweetness/sourness ratio. Principal component analysis indicated that appearance, odor, flavor, first impression and overall acceptance are highly intercorrelated. That sample was also the most preferred beverage in the comparative test. Flavor intensity was significantly different in all of the paired comparisons. No significant differences were found in the overall acceptance evaluations between genders. A fairly good correlation was found between overall acceptance and consumers who drank the beverage once a week.