Partial substitution of sugar by honey in a pumpkin-based jam: Impact on physicochemical, microbiological quality and sensory attributes during refrigerated storage

The current study aimed to monitor the physicochemical, microbiological quality and sensory profile of pumpkin jam enriched with different proportions of honey, for an interval of 20 days during two months storage period. For that purpose, five jam samples were prepared; the first sample (A) is a control jam without addition of honey, the other four formulations B, C, D and E were prepared by replacing the granulated sugar with honey in different proportions of 5, 10, 15 and 20%, respectively. A decrease was observed in pH from 4.43 to 4.28, degrees Brix from 45.7 to 42.30%, except the sample C (fortified with 10% of honey) which showed Brix stability during storage; an increase in moisture content from 35.40 to 35.91%, titratable acidity from 1.163 to 1.179% was noted during evaluation. Microbiological examinations indicate that jams were microbiologically stable according to standards in force as all the count of the germs sought revealed lower loads and the total absence of pathogenic germs up to 60 days of refrigerated storage. The appreciation of jams by tasters tended to decrease towards the end of storage, where, on a hedonic scale of 5 points, the scores exhibited values between 1.3 and 3.6.