Evaluación Fisicoquímica y Sensorial de Concentraciones de Pulpa de Tamarindo (Tamarindus Indica) en un Licor Macerado

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of tamarind pulp concentrations at 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10%, combined with sugar concentrations of 10% and 15%, on the physicochemical (pH, titratable acidity, °Brix, and alcohol content), microbiological (yeasts and molds), and sensory (aroma, flavor, color, and texture) characteristics of a macerated liqueur. A completely randomized design with a bifactorial arrangement A×B was used, with three replicates, resulting in 30 experimental units of 1000 cm³ each. The results showed significant differences in titratable acidity, °Brix, and alcohol content among the treatments, while pH remained constant. Treatments T9 and T10 received the highest sensory ratings, indicating a direct effect of pulp and sugar concentrations on organoleptic perception. All treatments showed absence of yeasts and molds, which is attributed to the natural organic acids present in tamarind. The results suggest that the physicochemical properties remained within the limits established by the NTE 1837 standard, and that increasing tamarind pulp and sugar concentrations improves the liqueur's acceptability.