Desarrollo de una formulación para la elaboración de nachos con sabor a cebolla

Abstract

The market for fried snacks such as nachos exhibits limited flavour diversity, particularly in Ecuador. In this context, the Ecuadorian company Güey Tortillas Mexicanas, located in Cuenca City, seeks to broaden its product range by introducing onion-flavoured nachos. Therefore, the objective of this research was to develop a formulation to produce onion-flavoured nachos. The implemented methodology relied on sensory analysis, employing 36 experimental units for sensory evaluation with 12 treatments varying in onion (2%, 3%, 4%), mustard (0.5%, 1%), and garlic (0.5%, 1%). Additionally, microbiological and bromatological tests were conducted on treatments with higher acceptance. Statistical analysis employed a Completely Randomized Design and Tukey's test (P < 0.05) for bromatological and microbiological characteristics. Organoleptic analysis using non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis’s variance analysis through the statistical software InfoStat was essential. This methodology was crucial to determine that the most accepted nachos were those produced with 3% onion, 0.5% mustard, and 0.5-1% garlic. Similarly, formulations containing 2% onion, 0.5% mustard, and 0.5-1% garlic exhibited high acceptance. Microbiologically, the products complied with the INEN 2561 standards, while bromatological, moisture content showed highly significant differences; fat content demonstrated no statistical differences, and the peroxide index was statistically equivalent. In conclusion, the nachos produced had a formulation with varying percentages of onion (2%, 3%, 4%), mustard (0.5%, 1%), and garlic (0.5%, 1%). The cost/benefit ratio for the formulations ranged from 1.41 to 1.46 dollars.