Development of functional cold tea with the addition of lyophilized cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.): Sensory evaluation and consumer acceptance

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a consumer-friendly functional cold tea based on cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.), a fruit produced in Türkiye and recognized for its health-promoting properties, and to evaluate consumer acceptance through sensory analyses. The study was conducted in Istanbul, Türkiye, between January 2024 and April 2025 with 109 volunteers (61 women and 48 men) aged 19-85 years. While 35.8% of participants reported having heard of the concept of functional foods before, 64.2% were unfamiliar with it. Only 6.4% of participants reported a preference for consuming functional foods. However, 67.9% believed that functional foods could be beneficial for certain health issues. 78% of participants stated that their consumption preferences would change if a cold tea offering with health benefits were introduced. Nevertheless, 56.9% of participants were unaware of the potential health benefits of cornelian cherry. These results indicate that participants hold varied perceptions and levels of understanding regarding functional foods, and that local awareness of cornelian cherry remains limited. Among the three different recipes developed, Sample 202 was the most preferred by participants, with a rate of 49.5%. This sample had the highest purchase intention score, averaging 4.29±2.27. According to the sensory evaluation results, Sample 202 received statistically significantly higher scores of tastes, aroma, and overall liking (p<0.01). A significant positive correlation was found for both taste and overall liking, and for aroma and overall liking. Among the functional cold teas developed using lyophilized cornelian cherry, Sample 202 stood out with a flavonoid value of 174±8 µg quercetin equivalents (QE)/g and a total antioxidant capacity (TAC) value of 2903±37 µg ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE)/g. In this study, participants placed great importance on sensory criteria, such as taste and aroma, while the product's functional quality remained secondary. These findings suggest that taste and aroma may be the primary factors influencing consumer acceptance of functional beverage products.This study aimed to develop a consumer-friendly functional cold tea based on cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.), a fruit produced in Türkiye and recognized for its health-promoting properties, and to evaluate consumer acceptance through sensory analyses. The study was conducted in Istanbul, Türkiye, between January 2024 and April 2025 with 109 volunteers (61 women and 48 men) aged 19-85 years. While 35.8% of participants reported having heard of the concept of functional foods before, 64.2% were unfamiliar with it. Only 6.4% of participants reported a preference for consuming functional foods. However, 67.9% believed that functional foods could be beneficial for certain health issues. 78% of participants stated that their consumption preferences would change if a cold tea offering with health benefits were introduced. Nevertheless, 56.9% of participants were unaware of the potential health benefits of cornelian cherry. These results indicate that participants hold varied perceptions and levels of understanding regarding functional foods, and that local awareness of cornelian cherry remains limited. Among the three different recipes developed, Sample 202 was the most preferred by participants, with a rate of 49.5%. This sample had the highest purchase intention score, averaging 4.29±2.27. According to the sensory evaluation results, Sample 202 received statistically significantly higher scores of tastes, aroma, and overall liking (p<0.01). A significant positive correlation was found for both taste and overall liking, and for aroma and overall liking. Among the functional cold teas developed using lyophilized cornelian cherry, Sample 202 stood out with a flavonoid value of 174±8 µg quercetin equivalents (QE)/g and a total antioxidant capacity (TAC) value of 2903±37 µg ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE)/g. In this study, participants placed great importance on sensory criteria, such as taste and aroma, while the product's functional quality remained secondary. These findings suggest that taste and aroma may be the primary factors influencing consumer acceptance of functional beverage products.