title: Sensory impact of lowering sugar content in orange nectars to design healthier, low-sugar industrialized beverages.
abstract: The presence of added sugars (AS) in the diet is associated with increased risk of obesity and other chronic diseases. We assessed sensory impact of lowering AS in orange nectar, aiming at new WHO sugar guideline. Ideal sweetness by just-about-right (JAR) tests (60 consumers), difference and rejection thresholds (36 and 35 assessors), and acceptance and sensory profile by Check-all-that-apply (CATA) tests (100 consumers) were performed. JAR test comprised six concentrations of AS from 12% down to 4.5%. Thresholds tests comprised orange nectars at reference sugar concentration (10%) and at lower sugar levels. Acceptance and CATA tests compared reference, ideal sweetness and thresholds concentrations. There were two groups of consumers; one with ideal sweetness lower at 5.5% AS and another with ideal sweetness at standard 10.5% AS. The average ideal sweetness among all consumers was 7.3% AS. The difference threshold from the reference at 10.5% AS was at 8.5% AS and the rejection threshold was 7.2%. Overall acceptance of nectar with 8.5% and 7.2% AS was similar to reference and higher than acceptance of nectar with 5.5%. However, after cluster analysis, nectars with 5.5% AS did not differ from nectars with 8.5% or 7.2% AS, suggesting the possibility of a gradual reduction until 5.5% in the long term. Lowering AS to 7.2% or 5.5% caused significant changes in viscosity, sweet odor, bitterness and sweetness in comparison to the reference concentration. Lowering sugar from 10% to 8.5% did not affect acceptance or sensory attributes, and could be indicated for a first reduction. Results indicate that a gradual reduction to 7.2% and 5.5% would be feasible. Reductions can remove 3150-9450 tons of sugar per year from the Brazilian diet resulting in healthier beverages.
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasilia, 70910-900, Brazil. Electronic address: liviapineli@unb.br.
authors.forename: Lívia de Lacerda de Oliveira
authors.initials: LLO
authors.lastname: Pineli
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasilia, 70910-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lorena Andrade de
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Aguiar
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasilia, 70910-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anndressa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiusa
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasilia, 70910-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raquel Braz de Assunção
authors.initials: RBA
authors.lastname: Botelho
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasilia, 70910-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Puppin
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Zandonadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-909, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lauro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Melo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002755:Choice Behavior; D032084:Citrus sinensis; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling; D005518:Food Preferences; D000067030:Fruit and Vegetable Juices / Q000032:analysis*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis; D013649:Taste; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates
keywords: Acceptance; Orange nectar; Public health policies; Sensory analysis; Sugar lowering