Development and Feasibility Study of Coconut Sugar Tablets with Cocoa-Malt Flavor: Physical Properties and Consumer Acceptance

¹ Theophane Venard School of Food Biotechnology and Innovation, Assumption University of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand
² Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Technology, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Despite the growing demand for natural and value-added confectionery products, no standardized formulation for coconut sugar tablet has been developed. This study aimed to develop and evaluate coconut sugar tablets using formulation optimization and feasibility assessment. A Plackett–Burman experimental design was applied to evaluate factors affecting tablet hardness. Maltodextrin, magnesium stearate, and compression force were identified as significant variables and further optimized. Ten formulations were developed by varying ingredient composition and compression conditions based on the significant factors identified from the Plackett–Burman design. The formulations were evaluated for hardness and water activity, and formula J was selected as the optimal formulation based on physicochemical properties. The optimized tablets exhibited hardness of 100.92 N and water activity of 0.44. Sensory evaluation with 50 untrained panellists using a 9-point hedonic scale showed good consumer acceptance, with an overall liking score of 7.43. During 28 days of storage at ambient conditions, both hardness and water activity significantly increased. The estimated production cost was 5.19 THB per sachet that contained 15 tablets, indicating economic feasibility.