Abstract:
The increasing demand for plant-based alternatives has intensified interest in developing cheese analogues with improved sensory and functional properties. This study formulated peanut–quinoa (PQ) cheese at three ratios (40%, 50%, 60%) and compared them with a 100% peanut control to evaluate sensory acceptability and consumer preference across formulations. One hundred untrained panelists assessed the samples using a nine-point hedonic scale, and preference rankings were analyzed using Friedman’s test. Significant differences among formulations were observed (χ² = 75.6, p < 0.00001), with the 50% PQ formulation identified as the most preferred (≈7.0) with the lowest cumulative rank (80). Based on sensory results, the most preferred formulation (50% PQ) was further evaluated for microbiological safety, physicochemical properties, nutritional composition, and economic feasibility. Microbiological analysis confirmed aerobic plate counts <250 CFU/g, yeast and mold <10 CFU/g, coliforms <3.0 MPN/g, and absence of pathogens. The formulation exhibited 72.37% moisture, water activity of 0.99, pH 6.32, and 10.01% fat. A 25 g serving provided 40 kcal, 2 g protein, and 0.9 mg iron. Economic evaluation indicated a production cost of ₱120.50 per 250 g, yielding ROI values of 107.5–211.2% across pricing scenarios.
These findings suggest that the 50% peanut–quinoa ratio represents the most preferred formulation and has potential as a safe, economically viable, and nutritionally promising plant-based cheese analogue, although limitations in calcium and protein content remain compared with dairy cheese.
Keywords: Plant-based cheese; Peanut-quinoa formulation; Sensory evaluation; Consumer acceptability; Preference ranking