Desenvolvimento de barra alimentícia adicionada de café: estudo de marketing

The consumption of snack bars is based especially on the demand for practical and nutritious food. Coffee is highlighted for being appreciated and consumed worldwide, presenting elevated antioxidant activity, in addition to peculiar sensorial attributes. Therefore, it has great potential for use in many formulations. However, the success in the acceptance of a new product also derives from adequate marketing strategies. In this context, the present study aimed at evaluating the feasibility of introducing to the market a snack bar added with coffee, by means of sensorial acceptance and purchase intent of the consumers, in addition to identifying the best concept and the possible market segments. This work was a qualitative, by means of a focus group (content analysis), and quantitative research, by means of sensorial analysis and structures questionnaires (descriptive – frequency distribution, arithmetic mean, crosstabs and t test – and multivariate – cluster and discriminate analysis - statistical techniques). With the results, we showed that the main aspects considered by the consumers regarding the snack bar added with coffee. According to the qualitative evaluation, the consumer prefers packaging with matte colors ranging in the tones related to the coffee grain. The analysis of the quantitative data allows us to infer that the evaluations of the product regarding overall impression, purchase intent, preference and expectation before and after consuming the product are better for packaging containing the information “special coffee flavor – 100% arabic”. Regarding market segment, it was possible to conclude that, of the three extracted groups, the group of “healthy and conscious consumers” was the segment with higher potential for exploitation regarding purchase and consumption of the snack bar added with coffee.

Evolution of the concentration of phenolic compounds in cachaça during aging in an oak (Quercus sp.) barrel

Cachaça is a traditional and popular Brazilian drink obtained by distilling fermented sugar cane juice. Among the steps involved in its production, natural aging in wood containers for a certain period of time can lead to alterations in the chemical composition, aroma, flavor and color of the beverage. The present work sought to determine the concentration of phenolic compounds after different periods of aging of the cachaça in an oak (Quercus sp.) barrel. Periodic collections during the aging period were performed, and thirteen selected phenolic compounds were determined by high performance liquid chromatography with a diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD). A progressive increase in the concentration of the compounds analyzed was observed, with syringaldehyde and gallic acid as the compounds encountered in the highest concentration.

Potencial antioxidante, mineral, inibitório de enzimas α-amilase e lipoxigenase e composição centesimal de espécies da família Apiaceae

Eryngium foetidum L., Eryngium cf. campestre and Coriandrum sativum L. are Apiaceae family vegetable appreciated due to its peculiar flavor and consumed mainly in the north and northeast of Brazil. The vegetables are rich in protein, vitamins, fiber, minerals, total phenolics and other essential bioactives for a balanced health. Nevertheless, many vegetables are falling into disuse by the population, instead of processed foods. The rescue consumption of these species is very important, aiming at their nutritional, therapeutic and antioxidant benefits. In this study, was quantified the levels of total phenolic, flavonoids and dihidroflavonoides by molecular absorption spectrophotometry in the ultraviolet. The total antioxidant capacity was also evaluated using five methodologies of in vitro assays: test Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), scavenging of DPPH and ABTS radical, Power Reducing and Power Chelating. It was also evaluated the power inhibitor of α-amylase and lipoxygenase extracts. All species showed significant levels of total phenolics, flavonoids and dihidroflavonoides in its composition. All treatments showed antioxidant activity of 50% except the sheets of E. cf. campestre, C. sativum and bracts of E. foetidum in DPPH and bracts of E. foetidum in ABTS. All treatments also exhibited 50% inhibition activity of the enzyme lipoxygenase.In α-amylase only the leaves of E. cf. campestre and C. sativum showed IC50. It was evaluate the phytochemical composition, aiming to meet the nutritional potential of Apiaceae family vegetables, called unconventional: Eryngium foetidum L., Eryngium cf. campestre; and conventional: Coriandrum sativum L. At the centesimal composition analysis Coriandrum sativum L. presented the highest levels of protein. The leaves of Eryngium foetidum L. exhibited higher values than other species in dietary fiber, while Eryngium cf. campestre detach with superior results in lipids. About the analyzed minerals, the leaves of Eryngium cf. campestre expressed results superior to the other in N, Ca, Mg, S and Cu. The amount of iron highlighted in sheets of E. foetidum, whereas P, K, Mn, Zn and B were most significant on leaves of C. sativum. It was concluded that the levels of total phenolic compounds found in these vegetables, characterize them for its high potential in the antioxidant and inhibition of lipoxygenase and α-amylase enzymes. Their protein and mineral levels classify them as species that can be used as a nutritional source in the preparation of other foods and may their regular consumption bring benefit to human health.