Issa-Zacharia AbdulsudiNyamete Frida AlbinusSwai Zenorina Aloyce2025-09-242025-09-242025-08-15https://doi.org/10.30466/fsp.2025.56347.1009https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/123456789/7056Journal ArticleThis study investigated the sensory perception and consumer acceptability of value-added products derived from Justicia heterocarpa, an underutilized indigenous leafy vegetable with potential nutritional benefits. A total of 110 participants, comprising 80 semi-trained students unfamiliar with J. heterocarpa and 30 untrained university workers familiar with J. heterocarpa in term of consumption and utilization. Four samples (freshly harvested, blanched dried, unblanched dried, and fermented) were tested for consumer acceptability using a 9-point hedonic scale. The results revealed a significant influence of the panelists on flavor (p < 0.001) and overall acceptability (p = 0.003) among familiar and unfamiliar panelists. Unfamiliar panelists rated the flavor and general acceptability of the fermented vegetables higher. There were significant differences in color (p < 0.0001), flavor (p = 0.0002), and general acceptability (p = 0.0235) between the familiar and unfamiliar groups. Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between general acceptability of flavor (r = 0.81) and texture (r = 0.65). Principal component analysis identified flavor and texture as the primary drivers of overall acceptance. These findings offer valuable insights into the development of palatable processed J. heterocarpa. These findings underscore the importance of carefully considering the effects of different processing methods when formulating product development strategies to enhance consumer acceptance.enFamiliarityHedonic scaleIndigenous leafy vegetablesPrincipal component analysisVegetable processing.Article