Avaliação da influência de misturas de açúcar e xilitol com compostos carreadores na percepção e aceitação sensorial do gosto doce

Abstract

High sugar consumption is a public health concern and a challenge for the food industry, especially given the Brazilian palate's accustomed taste for very sweet flavors. To overcome this challenge, formulations with sugars with greater sweetening power have been developed, allowing for a reduction in sucrose content without compromising flavor. In this study, sweetener blends based on sucrose or xylitol combined with precipitated silica (SP) or microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) were developed using individual and co-milling techniques, aiming to enhance the perception of sweetness in foods. The blends were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and applied to peanut butter as a food matrix. The samples were sensorially evaluated by a panel of 15 trained panelists. The sensory profile of the samples was obtained using an unstructured 9 cm linear scale. Subsequently, an acceptance test was conducted with 77 consumers, who evaluated six selected sweetened peanut butter formulations using a structured 9-point hedonic scale. Sensory data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey's test, and correlated by principal component analysis (PCA). Electron microscopy revealed morphological changes in the particles, with increased irregularity and possible formation of amorphous zones, associated with a higher rate of dissolution and release of sweetening compounds. The results demonstrated that co-grinding sucrose and xylitol with precipitated silica (SP) or microcrystalline cellulose (CMC) significantly modified the sensory perception of sweet taste. Descriptive sensory analysis showed that the pure sucrose and xylitol powder sweetener samples presented greater sweetness persistence, while co-grinding reduced this attribute by accelerating sweetener dissolution. In contrast, the intensity of the sweet taste was enhanced in the co-ground formulations, highlighting the role of processing in sensory perception. Regarding the peanut butter samples sweetened with the proposed blends, descriptive analysis with trained evaluators showed that the lipid-protein matrix of the peanut butter played a significant modulating role in the sweetness profile. The results showed that co-ground processing is effective in increasing sweetness intensity, but has an opposite effect on persistence, especially when combined with xylitol and silica, reinforcing that the impact of processing depends heavily on the interaction between sweetener, carrier, and food matrix. In the sensory acceptance analysis of the peanut butters conducted with consumers, sucrose provided greater immediate sweetness intensity and better perceived texture, while xylitol stood out for greater sweetness persistence, although the addition of carriers negatively impacted texture. Overall, co-grinding intensified the perception of sweetness and prolonged persistence, but with different effects depending on the type of sweetener and its interaction with the lipid matrix. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that the first two components (PC1 and PC2) explained 70.91% of the variance. The biplot revealed distinct patterns among the samples, with AA and ASco associated with high intensity, XX standing out for better texture and persistence, and XSco and XCco related to lower persistence.