Avaliação sensorial de um adoçante de mesa com a utilização do eritritol como veículo

Abstract

The food industry relentlessly pursues innovation and product improvement, quality and customer satisfaction. In the sweeteners sector, this search has increased substantially in recent times due to the increase of diseases caused by the excessive consumption of sugar. Most of the powdered table-top sweeteners marketed in Brazil have bulk agents with characteristics not appreciated by consumers, substances that may cause intolerances like lactose or caloric ones like maltodextrin (4 kcal / g). Considering this problem, the aim of the research was to develop a natural sweetener, without contraindications, using the eritritol / stevia blend to compose the formulation. A semistructured questionnaire, with convenience sample was applied to characterize the consumers of sweeteners. Of all respondents, 43% used sweeteners. The variable that increases the chance of consuming sweetener is "being overweight", when associated with the variable "overweight family", the chance of consuming sweeteners is greater. Another proof of the questionnaire was that more than 40% of the users search for natural substances in their sweetener, strengthening the possibility of developing a natural sweetener. Therefore, three formulations (standard, 10% sweeter and 10% less sweet) were developed which had no difference in the test of preference. The formulation with less amount of stevia was the one that had the least negative comments and the most economical one, due to which it was the one that continued the study. It was compared, by preference order, the blend focus of the study and two other commercial sweeteners containing: lactose / stevia and maltodextrin / stevia. And erythritol / stevia did not differentiate between commercial sweeteners. In the test of acceptance by hedonic scale the results were positive, as well as in the intention of purchase. In another questionnaire, launched at the end of the study, it was noticed that 72% of respondents would buy, regardless of the highest cost, the refreshing taste or even not knowing erythritol, indicating that the product proposed in the study has commercial possibilities.