Novel Liquor-Based Hot Sauce: Physicochemical Attributes, Volatile Compounds, Sensory Evaluation, Consumer Perception, Emotions, and Purchase Intent

Abstract

Hot sauces are popular peppery condiments used to add flavor and sensory excitement to gastronomical preparations. While hot sauce occupies a retail category well over a century old, a novel production method using liquor as the base preservative rather than traditional vinegar is now commercially available, and its uniqueness begs study. Hot sauces produced with tequila, rum, vodka, and bourbon were compared to traditional vinegar-based hot sauces concerning physicochemical properties, volatile compounds, microbiological quality, sensory scores, emotions, and purchase intent (PI). Under accelerated conditions, pH, titratable acidity (TA), water activity (Aw), viscosity, and color were analyzed weekly for 20 weeks, whereas rheological properties, coliforms and yeasts and molds were examined on weeks 1 and 20. Hexyl n-valerate, butanoic acid, 3-methyl-, hexyl ester, and 4-methylpentyl 3-methylbutanoate were found in high concentrations in the pepper mix as well as the hot sauce produced with vinegar. When compared to vinegar-based hot sauces, liquor-based hot sauces had similar Aw (p > 0.05), higher pH, viscosity, and L* values and lower TA, a*, and b* values (p p p > 0.05) different among treatments.

Keywords

• pepper
• novel liquor
• chili sauce
• emotions
• purchase intent