Physiochemical properties and sensory evaluation of cracker made from broccoli (Brassica Oleracea)

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) contains many high nutrients such as folic acid, potassium, and vitamins. For example, vitamin C is good to prevent cancer and heart disease while vitamin K is good to lower blood pressure. This research project was conducted to determine the physical properties and proximate composition of crackers which broccoli is one of the ingredients. There were two types of texture analysis; hardness and fracturability, which were conducted by using the texture analyzer. The results from the analysis showed a decreasing pattern with increasing broccoli concentration in broccoli crackers. Besides, the color attributes of chromatic parameters (L*, a*, and b*) were tested using the chromameter. The test results showed unstable pattern results with the increasing percentage of broccoli concentration, especially for a* (redness). For proximate analysis, as the broccoli concentration of broccoli cracker increases, the results are also unstable. Furthermore, this research project was conducted to analyze the consumers' acceptability towards broccoli cracker sensory properties in terms of its color, texture, taste, and aroma from a different concentration of broccoli. The crackers were baked by adding different concentrations of broccoli (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%), respectively, in the cracker dough. From the sensory evaluation conducted by 35 panelists, the result showed that the broccoli cracker with 2% of broccoli concentration was the most preferred based on the hedonic scale rating for sensory evaluation. Although most of the panelists gave a score 3 (like) for broccoli crackers in sensory evaluation, the result of P-value in ANOVA for the overall acceptance of broccoli crackers was not significant between the concentration on consumer acceptability. Therefore, the null hypothesis was accepted, and the objective of this study was not achieved. Keywords: Broccoli, Brassica oleracea, physicochemical properties, sensory evaluation, consumers' acceptability.