Evaluation of the acceptability of canned whole anchovy (Engraulis ringens) with added various species in water and vegetable oil

Vigo Cancino J.M.; Osorio Paredes L.; Gadea García J.L.; Quispe Laguna Á.R.; Morillo Polo K.L.; Arme Caqui S.M.; Estrada Espinoza J.A. · Nutricion Clinica y Dietetica Hospitalaria (2026) · DOI: 10.12873/ncdh-2026-58

Resumen

Introduction: Preserving whole anchovy (Engraulis ringens) with spices and a packing medium of water and vegetable oil represents a value-added alternative aimed at a ready-to-eat product with sensory acceptability. Objectives: To evaluate the sensory acceptability of three whole anchovy canned formulations seasoned with mixed spices in water and vegetable oil. Materials and Methods: Three formulations (F1:1328, F2:1329, and F3:1330) were prepared from fresh anchovy, varying the combination of spices/complementary ingredients and the packing-medium ratio. Acceptability was assessed through a hedonic test with 26 panelists for color, aroma, texture, flavor, and overall acceptance. Data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests: Friedman and Wilcoxon with Bonferroni correction; effect size was estimated using Kendall’s W. Results: Descriptive findings showed better performance of F1 in color and a favorable trend of F3 in flavor, whereas F2 consistently received lower ratings. Friedman revealed significant differences in color, flavor, and overall acceptance, with small effect sizes; aroma and texture did not show conclusive differences among formulations. Discussion: Acceptability was mainly associated with visual and gustatory attributes, suggesting that the balance between spices and the packing medium influences color, flavor, and overall acceptance more than aroma and texture, which tended to remain stable under the applied process. Conclusions: F1 and F3 achieved the highest overall sensory acceptability, while F2 was the least accepted. It is recommended to prioritize F1 and F3 for optimization and to improve F2 by adjusting the spice balance and the water/oil ratio; additionally, expanding sensory evaluation and conducting stability studies are recommended to strengthen its commercial potential.

Instituciones: Universidad Tecnológica del Perú