# The Application of Mulberry Elements into a Novel Form of Easy-to-Prepare Dried Smoothie
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Sensory Analysis of Smoothies  
Sensory evaluation is a critical factor that affects consumer purchasing and acceptance decisions. Figure 5 depicts the sensory profile results for the fresh, dried, and reconstructed smoothies, evaluating taste, aroma, consistency, color, and overall acceptability on a 6-point scale ranging from the least to the highest favorability: 1: for scores from 20-29, 2: for scores from 30-39, 3: for scores from 40-49, 4: for scores from 50-59, 5: for scores from 60-69, and 6: for scores from 50-59. Keeping in mind the goal of this research was to produce an easy-to-prepare form of smoothie, sensory analysis of all three smoothie forms was performed. The results for the fresh smoothies were relevant to the development of the smoothie recipe. The results for the dried smoothies showed whether the product the authors intended to package and sell in the future would satisfy the consumer organoletically. Finally, the results for the reconstructed smoothies showed whether the consumer would be sensorially interested in a smoothie after reconstruction from powder form before consumption. Figure 5: Sensory analysis of the fresh, dried, and reconstructed smoothies among Polish and foreign panelists. \({}^{\text{a,b}}\)—different letters show statistically significant differences in overall appearance between demographic groups (\(p\leq 0.05\)). The data revealed that Polish participants rated the taste most favorably for formulation DB1 in the fresh smoothies. Interestingly, formulations DB1 and DC2 achieved the highest scores for aroma, and DB2 received the highest score for color attractiveness. By contrast, the sensory profile results for foreign participants showed that the taste preference leaned toward formulations DB1 and DB2. Interestingly, in the group of foreigners panelists, aroma received the highest scores for DB1 samples. Similarly to Polish panelists, DB2 smoothies achieved the top score for color attractiveness in the group of foreign panelists. The results highlighted a preference among foreign panelists to fresh formulations DB2 and DB1 (ca. 3 points) when considering the overall sensory attributes of the fresh smoothies, while in the Polish panelist group, the DB1 samples achieved even higher scores (ca. 5 points). This suggested that the combination of dragon fruit ('light smoothies') with licorice/mulberry leaf drops (1:1) (DB2) was rated as the most appealing, followed by the formulation containing dragon fruit with licorice/mulberry leaf drops (1:1) with chia seeds (DB1). Both Polish and foreign panelists rated fresh formulation DC1, containing dragon fruit with a licorice and mulberry leaf capsule, as the least favorable overall (points: 2 and 1, respectively). On the other hand, when comparing dragon fruit-based smoothies ('light') DB1 and DB2, it was observed that there were no statistically significant differences in aroma, color, consistency, and overall appearance, except taste, among Polish panelists (\(p\) = 0.05). In the group of the foreign panelists, there was only a significant difference in consistency of the analyzed smoothies. For the formulation containing dragon fruit and white mulberry extract capsule, no statistical differences (\(p\) = 0.05) were shown between DC1 and DC2 in taste and color among Polish panelists and in taste, color, and consistency among foreign panelists. After drying, the smoothies changed to powder form. Panelist were also asked to analyze this new form of smoothie. Polish panelists favored the dried form of DC1 and DC2 (in descending order), while foreign panelists preferred DC2 and DB2 (dried smoothies). When comparing these results with the sensory test results obtained for smoothies before lyophilization, the preferred types of smoothie were totally different. Moreover, it was clear that the preferred dried form of smoothie was the one without chia seeds. Paired comparison tests within each group yielded further insights.