Title:	Elderly people’s evaluation and understanding of vegetable beverages based on Brazil nuts (Betholletia excelsa).
Authors:	ESPERANÇA, V. J. da R. CASTRO, I. P. L. de COUTO, C. de C. MACEDO, A. V. de M. SÁ, D. de G. C. F. de LIMA, J. P. FREITAS-SILVA, O.
Affiliation:	VICTOR JONAS DA ROCHA ESPERANÇA, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIRO; ISABELLE PAES LEME DE CASTRO, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO DE JANEIRO; CINTHIA DE CARVALHO COUTO, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO ESTADO DO RIO DE JANEIRO; ALINE VIEIRA DE MATOS MACEDO, CTAA; DANIELA DE GRANDI CASTRO FREITAS DE SA, CTAA; JANINE PASSOS LIMA, CTAA; OTNIEL FREITAS SILVA, CTAA.
Date Issued:	2025
Citation:	Beverages, v. 11, n. 5, 2025.
Description:	Plant-based beverages are a viable alternative for elderly consumers because of their practicality and sustainable appeal. The use of Brazil nuts for these beverages is relevant because of the added value given to the country’s agrobiodiversity and the nuts’ nutritional quality, including their high selenium content. This study aimed for the understanding and acceptance by elderly people of a vegetable beverage made from Brazil nuts and fruit. The investigation was divided into two parts: (1) development and sensory analysis of Brazil nut beverages, and (2) consumers’ perception, choice, and influencing factors for these beverages. In the first stage, four beverages were formulated with different fruit pulps. A total of 100 elderly individuals (>60 years; 69% female) evaluated the sensory acceptance and purchase intention of the beverages. In the second stage, an online questionnaire was applied to 220 elderly individuals (>60 years-old; 52.7% female), which consisted of a choice test of nut beverage packages, a food neophobia scale, and questions about vegetable beverage consumption. The study showed that the selenium claim was one of the most relevant factors in the choice, demonstrating that using Brazil nuts can boost beverage purchases. Further tests are still needed to improve the attributes, such as sweet taste and appearance. Despite this, the blend of Brazil nuts with fruits positively influenced the choice and acceptance of these products by elderly individuals.
NAL Thesaurus:	Plant-based foods Blenders
Keywords:	Seniors Neophobic Claim
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.3390/beverages11050127
Type of Material:	Artigo de periódico
Access:	openAccess
Appears in Collections:	Artigo em periódico indexado (CTAA)