Ready-to-drink fruit juices represent a large share of the market and are an important target for product development. The mixture of fruits can bring about improvements to nutritional and sensory aspects of these beverages while making used of the wide variety of exotic fruits from the Amazon region. Therefore, it is necessary to select mixed fruits and determine their ideal sweetness according to consumer acceptance. Consumers in the city of Belém (Brazil) evaluated five different concentrations of sugar using the just-about-right scale in two blends selected by preference ranking. For the cupuassu-acerola-açai blend, the optimum concentration of sugar was 9.5 g/100 mL, and for the soursop-camucamu-yellow mombin blend, it was 10.7 g/100 mL.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo estabelecer o processo para elaboração de farinha a partir da CMS de tilápia e avaliar sua composição de minerais, aminoácidos e ácidos graxos e os modelos matemáticos para representação das curvas de secagem e isotermas de sorção. A secagem da CMS com e sem salga como pré-tratamento foi conduzida em um secador de cabine, í­Â s temperaturas de 40°C, 50°C e 60°C. As farinhas sem pré-tratamento obtidas a 50°C e 60°C resultaram na melhor composição nutricional em termos de aminoácidos e ácidos graxos EPA e DHA. Apresentaram elevadas concentrações de minerais como ferro e fósforo e podem ser consideradas fontes de potássio e magnésio. O modelo de GAB descreveu melhor as isotermas de sorção. A farinha de CMS de tilápia mostrou ser uma alternativa viável para agregação de valor aos resí­­duos da filetagem deste peixe, resultando em produto nutritivo que poderia ser destinado ao consumo humano.

A mixed functional beverage was developed using mango, pineapple, and acerola pulps combined with Brazil nut extract, targeting the nutritional and physiological needs of the elderly. The formulation was designed to deliver vitamin C and carotenoids, while maintaining viscosity compatible with level 3 of the IDDSI scale, ensuring safe consumption for individuals with dysphagia. The product underwent different processing treatments, including thermal pasteurization, sterilization, and non-thermal ultrasound processing, to evaluate their effects on bioactive compounds and in vitro bioaccessibility. Vitamin C content and total phenolic compounds decreased by 15.4% and 12.7% after pasteurization, respectively, and by 41.6% and 79.1% after ultrasound treatment. In contrast, sterilization did not result in a significant difference in vitamin C content compared with the control. Conversely, total carotenoid content increased significantly across all processing treatments, while antioxidant capacity remained stable across the different processing conditions evaluated. In addition, a 95% increase in selenium content was observed after pasteurization, indicating enhanced solubilization of mineral fractions in the Brazil nut extract. Vitamin C bioaccessibility reached 53.24% after ultrasound treatment and 38.58% after sterilization, outperforming the control (34.59%). For carotenoids, sterilization resulted in the highest bioaccessibility (28.33%), followed by ultrasound (17.21%) and pasteurization (15.24%). The beverage also showed good sensory acceptance among elderly consumers, demonstrating that the formulation successfully combines nutritional adequacy and acceptance. These findings support its potential as a functional beverage that promotes safe nutrition and hydration in older adults, including those with dysphagia.

Blackberry can be considered a source of phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties, especially anthocyanins, which are responsible for the attractive color of the juice. However, blackberry juice quality can be reduced under severe heat treatments, resulting in darkened color and altered taste. Membrane separation processes are an alternative for the clarification and concentration of fruit juices, with advantages as the maintenance of the nutritional, sensory, and functional characteristics of the product. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of membrane concentration on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of blackberry juice. The juice was first clarified by an enzymatic treatment associated with microfiltration and then concentrated by reverse osmosis and osmotic evaporation. Samples were analyzed for pH, titratable acidity, soluble and total solids, phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and total anthocyanins. The concentrated juices were then reconstituted for sensory evaluation. It was verified that reverse osmosis and osmotic evaporation resulted in juices with total solid concentrations of 29 and 53 g∙100 g⁻¹, respectively, with slight differences in pH and acidity. Some phenolic compounds were lost during processing. The concentration of anthocyanins and the antioxidant capacity of the osmotic evaporation-concentrated juice increased 6.2 and 7.7 times, respectively, compared to the initial juice. Regarding sensory analysis, the juices concentrated by RO and EO presented acceptance percentages (scores between 6 and 9) of 58% and 55%, respectively. Consumers described them as “good appearance”, “refreshing”, “tasty”, “sweet”, or “with ideal sweetness”, in agreement with the high acceptance scores (6.2 and 6.9, respectively).

Corn grits are obtained through the processing of corn (Zea mays L.), a raw material mainly intended for extrusion and production of derivatives, such as snacks and various types of flour. Due to its rich nutritional composition, corn when improperly stored becomes vulnerable to the development of fungi, mites and insects, compromising its quality and safety. Ozone can reduce corn contamination by microorganisms and also degrade mycotoxins. However, ozonation is not always a beneficial process, as it can cause negative effects associated with its high oxidation potential. This research aimed to ozonize corn grits, at different concentrations, in order to analyze possible changes in sensory characteristics (color and general appearance) and in certain physicochemical quality parameters. The results showed that the ozonation of corn grits in high concentrations (60 mg/L for 480 min) causes changes in the color and aroma of the product, being possible to verify the difference (p< 0.05) of the control both by the instrumental method and through sensory analysis. In this condition, the pH and titratable acidity values are also altered, indicating possible lipid oxidation of the product. Thus, under the conditions evaluated in this research, ozonation of corn grits in a concentration of up to 40 mg of O₃/L for 300 min is recommended (using 3 kg of sample). Such conditions can be applied in the ozonation of corn grits with different objectives, mainly in relation to quality control during storage.

Plant-based beverages are a viable alternative for elderly consumers because of their practicality and sustainable appeal. The use of Brazil nuts for these beverages is relevant because of the added value given to the country’s agrobiodiversity and the nuts’ nutritional quality, including their high selenium content. This study aimed for the understanding and acceptance by elderly people of a vegetable beverage made from Brazil nuts and fruit. The investigation was divided into two parts: (1) development and sensory analysis of Brazil nut beverages, and (2) consumers’ perception, choice, and influencing factors for these beverages. In the first stage, four beverages were formulated with different fruit pulps. A total of 100 elderly individuals (>60 years; 69% female) evaluated the sensory acceptance and purchase intention of the beverages. In the second stage, an online questionnaire was applied to 220 elderly individuals (>60 years-old; 52.7% female), which consisted of a choice test of nut beverage packages, a food neophobia scale, and questions about vegetable beverage consumption. The study showed that the selenium claim was one of the most relevant factors in the choice, demonstrating that using Brazil nuts can boost beverage purchases. Further tests are still needed to improve the attributes, such as sweet taste and appearance. Despite this, the blend of Brazil nuts with fruits positively influenced the choice and acceptance of these products by elderly individuals.