Evaluation of Quality Attributes and Rheological Behavior of Tahini with Addition of Natural Sweetener and Cocoa Liquor

Tahini is a globally recognized creamy paste made from sesame seeds, whose seeds are widely produced in Colombia but little used in the production of products. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the quality attributes through proximal, microbiological, and sensory analysis, and the rheological behavior of tahini with the addition of natural sweetener, honey, and cocoa liquor as sensory additives, using local crops. A 2X2X2 factorial design with sesame paste, honey concentration, and cocoa liquor as factors were used to prepare tahini. Proximal, microbiological, and sensory analyses were carried out to determine the bromatology, microbiological suitability, and sensory acceptability, respectively. The rheological behavior was studied by shear rate sweep, controlling the deformation 1x10-² s-1 to 1x10-² s-1 with a fit to the Ostwald de Waele model. The rheological characterization of the formulations showed that all of them exhibited pseudoplastic flow behavior, with F4 standing out as having a higher apparent viscosity. Finally, formulation F4 showed the best bromatological, rheological, and sensory characteristics, demonstrating that the incorporation of new ingredients can modify traditional tahini to promote its consumption.