Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Artigo Acesso aberto Produção Nacional Revisado por pares

BIBTEX RIS

Attitudes of consumers toward Spirulina and açaí and their use as a food ingredient

2023; Elsevier BV; Volume: 178; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.lwt.2023.114600

1096-1127

Bárbara Franco Lucas, Jorge Alberto Vieira Costa, Thomas A. Brunner,

Botanical Research and Applications

The microalga Spirulina and açaí fruit are foods with high concentrations of bioactive compounds. This work aimed to evaluate consumers' perceptions and attitudes toward these foods. A paper and pencil survey were sent to addresses in Switzerland. A total of 479 questionnaires were returned, 442 of which were valid. According to the results, more than 50% of the participants did not demonstrate any previous knowledge about Spirulina or açaí. In general, Spirulina-enriched foods most likely to be included in the participants' diets were pasta and cereal bars. For açaí, the enriched foods most likely to be consumed regularly were yogurt and juice. Preference varied with age, with cereal bars (fortified with Spirulina or açaí) being more likely to be consumed by young people. These results can help entities who develop, produce, and market these foods (or foods enriched with these ingredients) and serve as a basis for developing strategies for different consumer groups.