Sensory Acceptability and Characterizationof Giant Swamp Taro (Cyrtospermamerkusii) Pasta Enhanced with Malabar Spinach(Basella alba)

This study aimed to develop an innovative pasta product using giant swamp taro enriched with Malabar spinach. Specifically, it assessed the sensory attributes in terms of appearance, aroma, taste, and texture of three pasta formulations, and examined whether significant differences existed in the sensory ratings among the formulations. The study also analyzed the nutritional composition of the most preferred formulation. A descriptive developmental research design was employed, involving 120 selected respondents composed of TVL/TLE students and food experts. Appropriate statistical tools were used, including mean, standard deviation, MANOVA and post hoc tests. Findings revealed that among the three formulations, Formulation C consistently received the highest acceptability scores across all sensory attributes and was significantly preferred over Formulations A and B. Nutritional analysis showed that the preferred formulation is a moderate-calorie, low-fat, low-sodium, carbohydrate-rich product. The study concludes that Malabar spinach effectively enhanced the sensory and nutritional quality of giant swamp taro pasta, offering a promising alternative for health-conscious consumers