Acceptability of flavoured zobo drink (Hibiscus sabdariffa) among undergraduate students of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine the acceptability of flavoured zobo drink (hibiscus sabdariffa) among undergraduate students of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 162 respondents for the study and data collected through questionnaires were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The respondents had mean age of 24±4 years, 56.3% were female, 92.0% were single, 83.3% were Christians and 77.2 were Yorubas. Sensory evaluation of four different recipes for zobo drink was carried out. A significant but negative relationship existed (r=-0.191, p=0.019) between constraints faced by respondents in the consumption of zobo and the level of acceptability of zobo drink. Three of the four recipes for zobo drink had an acceptability rating of 8.7 (mean) out of 9 possible and the other (which had no added flavouring) was 4.0. Nutritionist and beverage manufacturers should educate consumers, particularly undergraduate students about these health benefits through informative labels and marketing campaigns.