Exploring the Ethnobotanical Properties of Bombax buonopozense and Evaluating Sauces Made with its Calyces in the District of Bas-Sassandra, Côte d'Ivoire, through Sensory Evaluation

Abstract

This study examined ethnobotanical knowledge of Bombax buonopozense and the sensory characteristics and acceptability of sauces prepared from its calyces in the District of Bas-Sassandra, Côte d'Ivoire. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted from March to April 2024 in the departments of Divo, Lakota and Guéyo, with 384 respondents selected in locations where the species was reported to be abundant. Information was collected on knowledge of the tree, calyx acquisition, uses, consumption, conservation and marketing, together with respondents' socio-demographic characteristics. Fresh flowers were collected in Guéyo, and calyces were separated, washed and used either fresh or after oven drying, grinding and sieving. Sauces prepared from fresh and dried calyces were assessed by 12 trained panellists for sensory profiling and by 60 untrained panellists for acceptability using a 9-point hedonic scale. All respondents knew Bombax buonopozense and reported its presence in the study localities. Calyces were mainly collected fresh under trees (98.8%) and were used for food (65.63%), children's play (33.75%) and, to a lesser extent, medicine (0.63%). Sauce was the only reported food form, and stickiness was identified as its desirable attribute. The calyces were mainly preserved by drying (91.50%). Sensory profiling showed that the sauces had a dark colour, lumpy appearance, bland taste, leafy aroma, no aftertaste, lumpy texture, sticky adhesiveness and leafy odour. Dried-calyx sauce was darker and less elastic than fresh-calyx sauce. In the acceptability test, fresh-calyx sauce received a higher overall appreciation score (6.183/9) than dried-calyx sauce (5.55/9). The findings indicate that Bombax buonopozense calyces are locally known and used, and that fresh-calyx sauce was more acceptable to the panel.