UA low-calorie cupuaçu juice was developed at the Faculty of Food Engineering (FEA). This is an unprecedented option for one of the most popular fruits in the Amazon. Found frequently in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, cupuaçu is from the same family as cocoa, and its nutritional and functional properties are extensively investigated by Brazilian and international researchers. However, there was no information in scientific literature about the sensory profile of the juice.

Acceptance tests were
carried out with 123 consumers

Cupuaçu, explains food engineer Vilene Braga Martins, has a long off-season, in addition to being extremely perishable. The cost of transporting the fruit, she explains, would make it unfeasible to sell it. in natura in other regions of the country. Therefore, the idea of ​​looking for product conservation techniques, as is the case with dietary juice.

“My interest was precisely in developing a tropical fruit juice that could be consumed especially by people who have restrictions on sugar, such as diabetics. Therefore, the option for sweeteners in the formulation. As its addition to food can influence the flavor of the final product, it is necessary to carry out appropriate sensory evaluations to choose the ideal substance”, argues the study author.

In the research, developed at FEA and guided by professor Helena Maria André Bolini, the engineer not only traced the sensory profile of cupuaçu juice sweetened with different sweeteners, but also carried out an extensive sensory analysis to identify the possible acceptance of the new product on the market. She even states that to be viable for the industry, the research would only need a study on the stability of sweeteners in the drink.

Sweeteners – Vilene made the juice from commercial pulps and added three different sweeteners for comparisons with the sucrose-containing drink. These are allied chemical substances for those who have diabetes or need to lose weight. “Its use, however, is determined by specific legislation and the daily intake limit should not be exceeded to avoid causing harm to the body”, warns the food engineer.

In Vilene's opinion, people who do not have restrictions should opt for natural products, without sugar or sweeteners. “Currently there are a multitude of artificially sweetened products. The consumer must be careful not to exceed the acceptable daily intake (ADI), expressed in milligrams of the substance per kilogram of body weight, which is the safety limit for the use of these products. Recently, Anvisa reduced the level of use of some sweeteners such as cyclamate, saccharin and stevia”, he warns.

In the study, the formulations with the best acceptance were those sweetened with aspartame and sucralose, which presented a sensory profile closer to that of sugar. Aspartame not only sweetened the drink, but also enhanced the flavor of the fruit. Stevia, as it imparts a bitter aftertaste, did not present a good acceptance profile. According to Vilene, it is not enough for the sweetener to have good acceptability – stability in the final product is also important and must be evaluated.

Sweetness and profile – The engineer says that she initially determined the ideal sweetness of cupuaçu juice by adding sucrose, which was 8%. Other tests were necessary to obtain the sweetness equivalence of the sweeteners in relation to sucrose.

To outline the sensory profile in relation to aroma, flavor, appearance and texture, one of the most complete techniques in the area was used, Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (ADQ), which qualitatively and quantitatively evaluates all the sensory attributes of a food.

Another important technique was Time-intensity, through the time and intensity data collection system program (SCDTI), developed at FEA by the research supervisor, Helena Bollini. This technique evaluates the temporal characteristics of a product, that is, how intense an attribute is, and how long it remains in the mouth. “And this, when evaluating sweeteners, is essential”, highlights Vilene.

The engineer also carried out acceptance tests, purchasing attitudes and preference maps with 123 consumers to assess the preference of this product on the market. “The results were statistically very reliable”, says Vilene.

Fruit is rich in pectin and potassium

Cupuaçu is rich in pectin, a soluble fiber that regulates blood glucose levels, improves bowel function, helps control cholesterol, and helps with weight loss, as this fiber gives a feeling of satiety and contributes in reducing food intake. It also has high concentrations of potassium and volatile compounds.

It is a very versatile fruit, which can be fully utilized: from using the pulp for ice creams, jellies, sweets, juices and yogurts, to using the seeds, to obtain products similar to cocoa, such as chocolates and butters. , until reaching the bark, which can be used as fuel.

It also finds a market in the cosmetic industry, due to its pleasant aroma. “It has an exotic and very aromatic flavor, which allows for a wide range of applications in both the cosmetic and food industries”, highlights Vilene.