Quality Characterics of Tomato Sauce added of Seasoned Gochujang

With the rising global popularity of K-Food, the demand for gochujang, a traditional Korean fermented condiment, has significantly increased. This study aimed to develop a tomato sauce incorporating varying amounts of seasoned gochujang and evaluate its physicochemical properties and sensory characteristics to determine the optimal formulation. Tomato sauce samples with 0% (CON), 10% (MS1), 20% (MS2), 30% (MS3), and 40% (MS4) seasoned gochujang were analyzed. Color values (L, a, b*), salinity, viscosity, and pH changed significantly with increasing gochujang content. Higher gochujang levels intensified red color and viscosity but lowered pH and increased salinity. Sensory evaluation results indicated that 20% seasoned gochujang (MS2) received the highest preference scores for appearance, taste, and overall acceptability, while 30–40% additions led to excessive viscosity and spiciness, reducing consumer preference. These findings suggest that 20% seasoned gochujang optimally enhances tomato sauce, offering insights for the commercialization of gochujang-based sauces and supporting the global expansion of K-Food.