Desenvolvimento de bebida láctea à base de açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) para atletas e desportistas

Abstract

The use of regional raw materials for the development of new food products with added value is a market trend, especially when it comes to a regional raw material with a high level of acceptance at national level, such as Açaí. The preparation of an açaí milk drink enriched with whey protein was carried out to meet the nutritional demands of athletes and sportspeople, aiming to provide energy and increase caloric intake during sports. To this end, in addition to the standard formulation, sweetened with refined sugar, three beverage formulations with different concentrations of sweeteners were tested to verify their acceptability. After preparing the formulations, samples of the four formulations were sent for microbiological and composition analysis. The results of microbiological analyzes proved the safety of the drinks that were sent to the physical-chemical and sensorial analysis stage using the hedonic scale and purchase intention methodologies. The results obtained demonstrated that after the standard formulation, the “F1” formulation with added sweetener was the best accepted by the public, and the results from the sensory tests demonstrated the feasibility of adapting a traditional product, açaí, to meet the specific demands of an expanding market niche, practitioners of physical activities and people looking for practical and nutritious alternatives for gaining muscle mass and increasing caloric intake, and also for individuals in need of replacing traditional sugar.