Acceptability of Asian Blue Pea Flower (Clitoria Ternatea) Ice Cream

Also known as Asian Pigeon Wings, Blue Bell Vine, Blue Pea, Cordofan Pea and Darwin pea, ‘Butterfly Pea’ (Clitoria ternatea) is an amazing brain boosting herb native to tropical equatorial Asia.A traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, Clitoria Ternatea has been consumed for centuries as a memory enhancer, brain booster, anti-stress and calmative agent. Known for its luminous indigo colour, Butterfly Pea has traditionally been used as a vegetable in cooking, to colour deserts or to make a strikingly vibrant coloured tea. Butterfly Pea is jam-packed full of health promoting antioxidants, flavonoids and peptides and has shown considerable promise in animal studies as a natural remedy for a range of health complaints. .Many beauty products have also been derived from Butterfly Pea because of the effects of the flavanoid, quercetin has on skin and hair. (Majestic Herbs, 2019). Since Blue Butterflies Peas are abundant not just in Guiuan but the rest of Eastern Samar as well, and since this flower is already used as tea – believed to help fight high blood pressure, the researcher decided to conduct a study regarding the acceptability of the flower as an ingredient for ice cream. This will not only give a healthier option for older, health conscious people but more importantly, children, who most parents find difficult to feed with healthy and nutritious food. A total of 70 individuals considered as the respondents of the study. Thirty (30) selected community members of Brgy. 3, Guiuan, Eastern Samar ten (10) Brgy. 3 Council members (for Pilot test), ten (10) Faculty experts of ESSU Guiuan (for Benchmark test) and ten (10) Ice Cream makers (for final test). A score card was used as an instrument to determine the acceptability of the consumers. To quantify the responses, mean was used to know the acceptability of Blue Pea flower ice cream in terms of flavour, appearance, texture, aroma colour and general acceptability. The pilot test was participated by Thirty selected Brgy. 3 community members, and ten (10) Brgy. 3 Council members. Each indicator has the scale of 1-5. Among the parameters, texture was the highest mean score of 4.72 which means that the respondents were extremely like the product However color was the lowest mean score of 4.44 and interpreted as extremely like. The overall mean in the pilot test garner the score of 4.59 and was interpreted as extremely like. This means that during the pilot testing, the acceptability of Blue Pea flower ice cream had been tested and approved by the respondents in the said test. In the benchmark test (participated by ten (10) Faculty experts of ESSU – Guiuan Campus), among the parameters, texture was the highest mean score of 4.92 which interpreted as extremely like, that means the respondents likes the texture of the product. Meanwhile, aroma was the lowest mean score of 4.86 which also interpreted as extremely like. This means that in terms of aroma should be improve in order to attract customers through the smell of the product. The overall mean in the benchmark test got the score of 4.90 and was interpreted as extremely like. The overall mean in the benchmark test garner the score of 4.90 and was interpreted as extremely liked. Moreover, during the Final Test, appearance and general acceptability was the highest mean score of 4.61 which is interpreted as extremely like. This means that the respondents of the final test are pleased with the appearance they feel whenever they eat the Blue Pea flower ice cream. In the other hand, the indicator Flavoring ranked lowest among the group and was rated 4.45 but still, interpreted as an extremely like. This just proves that in terms of flavoring, the researcher’s needs to improve the flavor of the product enable to become more palatable for the target customers. This just proves that in terms of flavoring, the researcher’s needs to develop more designs in able to give life of packaging that would attract more target customers.