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The purpose of this paper is to characterise eight different fig cultivars with respect to antioxidant activity and bioactive compound content and to assess the influence of these cultivars on the physicochemical characteristics, rheological properties and sensory acceptance of the obtained jelly to identify cultivars with increased potential for processing when grown in subtropical regions.

The analyses of fig fruits and fig jellies were performed in triplicate. To characterise the fig cultivars, analyses of antioxidant activity, phenolic compound content and ascorbic acid concentration were performed on fresh fruits. For the jellies, the total titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids, colour, texture profile and sensory attributes were analysed.

With respect to antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds, the Roxo de Valinhos displayed the highest antioxidant activity according to the ABTS method, ß-carotene and DPPH; the Três num Prato, Lemon and Brunswick cultivars presented the highest ascorbic acid values; and the Três num Prato cultivar also had the highest total phenolic content. Generally, the various fig cultivars yielded jellies with different physical and chemical characteristics and different rheological properties. This variation did not significantly affect acceptability. This study demonstrates that all of the evaluated cultivars have high potential for processing.

This study evaluated the processing potential of Roxo de Valinhos and other fig cultivars in the form of jelly, which in view of the food risk concerns of the dried fig, seems to be an interesting alternative for consumption of processed fig.

The native species from western Mato Grosso do Sul provide fruits with unique sensory characteristics and high nutrient concentrations. Tropical fruit consumption is increasing due to the growing recognition of the nutritional value. These fruits play important roles through the marketing of their products and nutritionally through their consumption. All fruits are edible and are used in the food industry and well sensory accepted. The purpose of this paper is to verify the physicochemical characteristics, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in fruits collected in the Cerrado and Pantanal biomes from western Mato Grosso do Sul.

The fruits of baru, bocaiuva, jatobá, jenipapo and pequi were collected. To characterize them, longitudinal diameter, transverse diameter, total soluble solids, acidity, pH, ascorbic acid, total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, total sugar, glucose and macro and micronutrient contents analysis were performed in triplicate.

Jatobá presented the highest values of vitamin C. For phenolics, baru and jatobá stood out; bocaiuva presented the highest results for sugars, while jatobá was superior for glucose. The fruits with the highest antioxidant capacity, DPPH, were pequi and baru, while via ABTS the jatobá was the highest. Baru presented higher levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc and iron. The bocaiuva presented the highest results for potassium and sulfur, the jatobá calcium and manganese. Jenipapo stood out with its boron content. Magnesium presented superior results in the baru, jenipapo and bocaiuva. The results reinforce the diversity of physicochemical characteristics.

The increase of the flow of available information, together with the growth of multicultural influences, the search for wholesome diet and the diversity of flavors and colors make these fruits important regional development tools. Their characteristics encompass national and international exploration potential that arouse consumer interest and contribute to the pursuit of innovations. In addition, the native species mentioned above provide fruits with unique sensory characteristics. Their consumption is increasing in the markets due to the growing recognition of their nutritional value. Therefore, these fruits play important roles, economically, through the marketing of their products and nutritionally through their consumption.

The purpose of this paper is to optimize a mixed juice made from Brazilian Cerrado fruits (cagaita, mangaba and marolo).

The juices were evaluated by rheological, physical, physicochemical, nutritional and sensory acceptance analyses. The mixture design is a widely used tool for product optimization, allowing the determination of factors, combinations and levels that provide best responses.

The results show that using mangaba pulp negatively contributed to juice acceptance, but resulted in the highest ascorbic acid content. The treatments produced using cagaita and marolo pulps presented a greater acceptance by consumers, and contributed to higher antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds content. The juice prepared with a mixture of equivalent quantities of the three fruits had the highest β-carotene and lycopene contents.

This research has shown that different fruit combinations can improve sensory and nutritional characteristics, adding value to the final product.

The processing of mixed juices could increase population access to the nutrients present in Brazilian Cerrado fruits, given that they are seasonal and perishable fruits.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the development of new food products based on Cerrado native fruits, however information on the chemical and nutritional characteristics, rheological behavior, and sensory attributes of the derivative products are still limited, resulting in a lack of scientific investments in this area. In addition, it is necessary to optimize the developed products to offer the consumer a unique product, combining the characteristics of two or more fruits, which adds value to the final product.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of the bodying agents (erythritol, sorbitol, xylitol and polydextrose) and their mixtures on the preparation of mixed Brazilian Cerrado fruit preserves (marolo, soursop and sweet passion fruit).

The simplex mixture design was used for product optimization and the preserves evaluated by physical, physicochemical and sensory properties. The research data were analyzed using regression equations on SAS University and exploratory analysis by principal component analysis and parallel factors techniques on Sensomaker software.

The results show that erythritol and polydextrose bodying agents should not be used as pure components because they provoked changes in the properties of the final product and negatively influenced the sensory attributes. While the high concentrations of xylitol and sorbitol provided better sensorial acceptance, being considered, therefore, good substitutes for sucrose.

This research has shown it is feasible to use bodying agents in the preparation of mixed Brazilian Cerrado fruit preserves without added sugar.

The development of mixed preserves could increase population access to the Brazilian Cerrado fruits. In addition, sugar-free preserves are a viable alternative for adding value to the product and satisfy all the consumers.

The combination of properties of two or more fruits and use of bodying agents can improve sensory, physical and physicochemical characteristics of the final product. However, there are technological challenges to evaluate in the preparation of mixed Brazilian Cerrado fruit preserves without added sugar.

People are increasingly concerned about food and health and seek for functional and sugar-free products. However, there are technological challenges when adding functional components and substituting sugar in foods. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to evaluate the influence of packaging and storage time on the sensory profile of functional diet guava preserve added with prebiotics, supporting the development of functional and sugar-free products and contributing to the product variety in the market.

A two-factor full factorial design was conducted in triplications that evaluated transparent and opaque packaging vs storage time (six months). The products were stored in packages with different light permeability (transparent and opaque). Quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) and acceptance tests were performed.

The packaging material did not affect the sensory changes of functional diet guava preserve during the six months of storage. QDA test showed that from three months of storage the original characteristics of the product were lost and a slight decrease in overall acceptance was observed after four and six months. However, during the six months the products had good acceptance; consequently, it was not possible to establish their rejection before this period.

More detailed studies regarding a longer storage period, including the physical and chemical measurements must be done to clarify other points about the influence of packaging and storage time on the sensory profile of functional diet guava preserve added with prebiotics. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further.

The development of a functional and sugar-free preserve is a good alternative to provide a product that meets the actual consumer desires and adds value to the product. However, there are technological challenges when adding functional components and substituting sugar in foods. Thus, this study provides important information for the development of sugar-free and functional products, and to prolong their shelf life.

There are few studies with respect to the sensory aspects during the storage of functional preserves. Thus, this work will aid future studies, supporting the development of functional and sugar-free products and contributing to the product variety in the market.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a shiitake mushroom extract as a potential natural taste enhancer in low-sodium beef burgers by means of sensorial and physico-chemical assays because nowadays there is a trend in the market for the development of clean-label products.

Ten formulations of beef burgers were developed, varying in the percentage reduction in NaCl (0-75 per cent) and mushroom water extracts (obtained from a 5, 12.5, or 20 per cent mushroom homogenate). Sensory characterisation was performed by time-intensity (TI) and acceptance tests. In addition, physico-chemical analyses (pH, yield, shrinkage, shear force, and colour) were conducted.

Extracts obtained from 5, 12.5, or 20 per cent mushroom homogenate (E1, E2, and E3, respectively) did not enhance the salty taste in formulations with a 0 or 75 per cent reduction in NaCl. In formulations with a 50 per cent reduction in NaCl, all the extracts enhanced salinity perception, with E3 being the most effective. E3 also increased acceptance of colour, aroma, texture, flavour, and overall perception, although it caused changes in some physico-chemical characteristics (pH, yield, shrinkage, shear force, and colour).

The shiitake mushroom extract is a natural ingredient with a potential to serve as a taste enhancer in meat and other food products, for the purpose of reducing sodium content without compromising sensory acceptability. Therefore, this extract will enable the development of healthier products (owing to a reduction in sodium) with preserved sensory quality and will meet consumers’ requirements for the minimal use of chemical additives in food.

The purpose of this paper was to study the effect of botanical origin on the characteristics of single-flower honeys (assa-peixe, coffee, eucalyptus, laranjeira and vassourinha), polyfloral (silvestre), extrafloral (sugarcane) and honeydew (bracatinga) during storage.

The honeys were stored at 14 °C, and the analysis of water activity, color, absorbance, rheological behavior and microscopic analysis were performed during 6 months (T0, T30, T60, T90, T120, T150 and T180 days); quantification of sugars (fructose (F) and glucose (G)), moisture (M), F/G and G/M ratio only at T0.

All honeys showed changes during storage, and sugarcane honey stood out for presenting greater crystallization, influenced by the high content of glucose and fructose. Coffee honey showed the least crystallization. The crystallization of honeys influenced the increase in water activity, Newtonian viscosity, color and absorbance. The composition of the honeys directly influenced the crystallization process during storage.

Crystallization is a natural process that occurs spontaneously in honey. Thus, the knowledge of the crystallization rate of honeys from different origins (botanical and geographical) during storage, is of great importance and interest for the industry, beekeepers and consumers, since each type of honey crystallizes in different ways and periods.

One way to increase the availability and to add more value to exotic Brazilian fruits is to develop new products. However, prior to product development, there is a need to know consumer’s preferences and target audience. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of different characteristics of Cerrado fruit preserves on the intention to purchase using conjoint analysis.

Conjoint analysis evaluated three factors with three levels each, defined by focus group technique. The attributes and levels evaluated were: flavor (marolo, marolo and soursoup, marolo, soursoup and sweet passion fruit), nutritional information (light, diet and absent) and health claims (aids reduction of cardiovascular disease risk; aids reduction of blood cholesterol; aids activation and regulation of the gastrointestinal system).

The results of conjoint analysis led to three consumers’ groups. Group 1 (majority) were more influenced by flavor (IR=26.5 percent) and nutritional information (IR=59.3 percent). Groups 2 and 3 were greatly influenced by flavor and nutritional information, respectively. Health claims influenced weakly on the intention to purchase regardless the groups. Thus, the concept of Cerrado fruit preserves for each group was different.

This research contributes to future studies, supporting the development of products based on Cerrado fruits and the variety of products on the market. There are few research works using conjoint analysis to evaluate consumer preferences in the early stages of new product development, which makes this paper even more relevant.

To meet the consumer demand for a healthier diet, this study emphasizes the feasibility of using vegetable oil gelled emulsions in low-fat industrialized burgers with high contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAS). Commercial canola and olive oils have been tested as a relatively inexpensive source of PUFAS.

Beef burgers were reformulated by replacing (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) pork back-fat with two carrageenan gelled emulsions of vegetable oils (canola and olive oil). The technological characteristics, sensorial properties and the fatty acid profile of reformulated burgers were evaluated.

Moisture content and cooking loss increased and fat and protein contents reduced with higher replacements. Oxidative stability was not affected and replacements of up to 75% did not affect the burger's acceptance. A total fat content reduction of 40% was achieved in burgers with 100% back-fat replacement, improving its nutrient value by increasing the ω−6/ω−3 ratio and decreasing the saturated fatty acids content (in 47%) and the atherogenic (from 0.61 to 0.22) and thrombogenic (from 1.29 to 0.65) indexes. Replacing up to 75% with canola oil gelled emulsion is a promising approach in the design of healthier industrial low-fat burgers.

Due to the association of some diseases with the consumption of products rich in saturated fat, the industry looks for alternatives not only to reduce the fat content but also to modify the fatty acid profile in meat products. This study further confirms the possibility of using carrageenan gelled fat replacer in industrialized burgers formulated with meat and other ingredients/additives commonly used to provide economic benefit. Also, confirms the feasibility to use commercial vegetable oils with relatively cheap cost than ω−3 rich oils as the oil phase in the gelled emulsion.

The purpose of this study is to develop and test a theoretical model of Fairtrade buying behavior that supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by addressing the nexus between just-world beliefs, along with the normative influences, self-identity and altruistic values.

A conceptual framework on the influence of just-world beliefs for Fairtrade purchase intentions is proposed to analyze the role of just-world beliefs on the effects of normative influences and altruistic values for the intention to purchase Fairtrade products that support SDGs. These conceptualizations are empirically tested on a representative sample of 217 consumers.

Just-world beliefs play a central role in the purchase intention by having a direct effect on purchase intention and an indirect effect mediated by personal norms and self-identity. They partially mediate the effects of altruistic values and social norms on the purchase intention of Fairtrade products that support SDGs.

The research provides a better understanding of the influences of these contextual variables on ethical consumption and contributes to both the theory and practice of how businesses can achieve SDGs. The psychological rationale of just-world beliefs provides a new approach to marketing strategy and communication aimed at increasing purchase intention of Fairtrade products that support the fundamental goals of the UN sustainable development.