Sensory Analysis of Cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) Melomel Produced with Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii Using Acceptance Testing and the Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) Method

Mead is a fermented beverage produced through the yeast fermentation of diluted honey. Among its variations, melomel stands out as it is prepared with the addition of fruits to enhance the sensory and nutritional profile of the beverage. Although Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the conventional choice for mead fermentation, the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii has emerged as a promising starter culture to develop functional alcoholic beverages. This study aimed to evaluate the sensory profile of a cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) melomel fermented with S. boulardii using the consumers acceptance and the Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) methodologies. Accordingly, two treatments were designed for the sensory analysis: (i) Treatment 1 (T1), consisting of cupuaçu melomel fermented with the probiotic yeast S. boulardii at a concentration of 1 g/L; and (ii) Treatment 2 (T2), consisting of cupuaçu melomel fermented with the commercial yeast S. cerevisiae, also at a concentration of 1 g/L. The products were evaluated by 113 healthy volunteer consumers, aged 18 years or older, who were not pregnant and had no history of allergy or intolerance to alcohol, honey, and/or cupuaçu. Although the participants had limited familiarity with honey wine, all reported being familiar with and enjoying both honey and cupuaçu. Compared with the cupuaçu melomel fermented with the conventional yeast S. cerevisiae, the melomel fermented with S. boulardii achieved higher scores (p < 0.05) for flavor, overall impression and purchase intent. CATA analysis revealed that attributes indicating “light amber color,” “clear,” “honey aroma,” “sweet taste,” “honey flavor,” and “Flavorful” were associated with the S. boulardii formulation. In conclusion, S. boulardii represents a viable alternative culture for melomel processing, supporting the development of fermented beverages with improved sensory characteristics and good consumer acceptance.