Consumer acceptance of a product from pacu carcasses submitted to different processing techniques: an approach to transform waste into wealth

The objective is to elaborate a food product developed from Pacu carcass subjected to different processing techniques that may contain healthy components and that is environmentally correct. Fish stocks were developed from three different products, here named as in natura carcass, smoked carcass, and carcass residual biomass. The chemical composition, colorimetric and microbiological profiles, and sensory analysis were evaluated in these stocks. The sensory analysis was based on the evaluation of 66 trained tasters concerning sensory attributes and consumers’ acceptance. The results were submitted to analysis of variance and compared by the Tukey’s test when averages were significantly different (p<0.05). The principal component analysis was applied to assess consumer acceptance. A significant difference between the evaluated stocks was in the contents of protein and cholesterol. The principal component analysis highlights that the sensory quality and characteristics of the consumer’s, influence on the process of choosing a product. Stocks were deemed microbiologically suitable for consumption. We conclude that the in natura carcass is the most favorable product for the production of fish stock, based on its highest acceptance rates and chemical characteristics; the multivariate analysis showed that flavor is the sensory attribute of greatest importance in fish stocks.