Non-Sensory Perception and Sensory Appeal of , , Traditionally Cooked Seeds, and Tempeh According to Burkinabe Consumers.

The lack of adequate knowledge of the culinary and sensory properties of most indigenous and wild foods hampers their promotion in human diets and the market. In the present study, 80 Burkinabe volunteers evaluated the sensory appeal and attributes of three selected seed species (, or , and ) and their food formulae (traditionally cooked, harvested as green and fresh legumes, and fermented as tempeh) using the nine-point hedonic scale and check-all-that-apply questionnaire. They found that the traditionally cooked , or , and derived tempeh had good sensory appeal (scoring between 5 and 7) and subtle alkaline and nutty tastes. However, an appreciable number (32%) of the participants were unaccustomed to tempeh and gave very low scores (2.5-3.4) for all the tempeh products. In contrast, the traditionally cooked seeds of and the green and fresh evoked bitter and sour off-tastes, respectively, and were not much appreciated (scoring 4). The present study provides unprecedented insight into consumers' non-sensory perceptions and the culinary and sensory properties of seed foods, which will be essential for their valorization, branding, and marketing.