Evaluation of the Influence of Honey Incorporation on the Rheological Properties of Peanut Butter

Abstract

The present research investigated how the addition of pine honey (PH), chestnut honey (CH), and highland honey (HH) at different inclusion levels (2.5%, 5%, and 10%) influences the rheological and sensory behavior of peanut butter. Rheological analysis revealed that all samples displayed non-Newtonian flow behavior, and the experimental data were well described by the Herschel–Bulkley model. The incorporation of honey led to an increase in the viscosity of peanut butter, with the highest values observed in samples containing PH, followed by those with HH and CH, respectively. In the sensory evaluation, panelists assessed attributes including oiliness, fluidity, texture, stickiness, taste, color, and overall impression. Among the samples, the peanut butter containing 5% PH received the highest preference score from the panelists. Therefore, the formulation incorporating 5% PH was determined to be optimal for peanut butter production.