Bebida prebiótica à base de amêndoa da castanha de caju: estudos com consumidores em diferentes abordagens para avaliação de fatores sensoriais e externos ao produto

Abstract

Prebiotic beverages made from cashew nut kernels and fruit juice are a viable alternative in the area of new functional products’ development. Thus, this research aimed to develop three prebiotic beverages made from cashew nut kernels added with fruit juice (grape, mango and pineapple), evaluating how non-sensory attributes (external to the product) and consumers’ characteristics as to behavior and personality affect their acceptance. A factorial 2² central composite rotatable design was used for the development of the formulations. Focus groups were applied to define the most important label attributes on consumer’s purchasing decision. The illustration, nutritional information and the term prebiotic associated with its functional claim, within their respective levels, were selected for the labels’ development via the 3x2x3 full factorial design and the employment of conjoint analysis and cluster analysis multi-varying techniques for results evaluation. The mango beverage was evaluated displaying three different label versions in order to check if the expectation generated by different nutritional information affected consumers’ perception as to characteristics of quality, overall impression and purchasing attitude. The beverage added with pineapple juice was compared to its soy-based commercially similar in order to evaluate if information on composition, nutritional characteristics and functional claims associated with these products affect the acceptance and perception of consumers with different behavioral characteristics and personality. The formulations optimized as to acceptance should be added with the following concentrations of sugar and juice, respectively; grape beverage (37% and 7%), pineapple (35% and 7%) and mango (40% and 8%). Among the most important label attributes in the purchasing process, the illustration was the one that mostly influenced, followed by nutritional information and the term prebiotic and its functional claim. The nutritional claims displayed on the label revealed to have a positive impact over the perception of the beverage as to the characteristics of quality, overall impression and purchasing attitude, with information such as “0% lactose, 0% cholesterol and fiber-rich” and “0% lactose, 0% cholesterol and antioxidants” found to influence more positively consumers. Information related to the beverages made from soy and cashew nut did not influence the acceptance of flavor nor on the overall impression, nonetheless, it had a positive impact over consumers’ perception as to healthiness and the nutritious value of both, being the cashew nut kernel-based beverage perceived as more nutritious and healthier than the soy-based one. Consumers’ different characteristics as to the interest in healthy eating and food neophobia did not influence the acceptance of the beverages, their perception as healthy food and nutritious value.