Sensory Profile and Consumer Perception of Plant-Based Burgers with Babassu ( Attalea speciosa Mart ) Fiber Flour

This study investigated the sensory characteristics of a fiber-rich flour derived from a babassu (BFF) almond processing coproduct and assessed its application in meat product analogues. Babassu almonds were processed to obtain the flour, and a focus group was conducted to identify descriptive terms and explore marketing perspectives. Participants described BFF as mildly aromatic, with a neutral flavor and suggested using it in shakes, smoothies, breaded snacks, and meat analogues. Burger formulations containing 0% (control), 12%, 18%, and 24% BFF were developed, frozen, and stored at −18 °C for subsequent sensory evaluation, including acceptability tests, and CATA and RATA methodologies. No significant difference in sensory acceptance was found between the 12% and 18% BFF treatments, a result supported by multivariate analysis. Thus, the 18% BFF formulation is considered more economically advantageous, providing higher flour incorporation without negatively affecting the sensory attributes of the vegetable burger.