QUALIDADE MICROBIOLÓGICA E ACEITABILIDADE DE ACHOCOLATADO EM PÓ TRADICIONAL, DIET E LIGHT

Abstract

There are different formulations of chocolate milk on the market, which can be diet, light or flavored. Conducting scientific studies that address powdered chocolate milk is relevant, as there is a lack of work on this topic. The objective was to evaluate the microbiological quality and acceptability of traditional, diet and light chocolate powder. There were 12 treatments, as follows: six brands of traditional powdered chocolate, four diet brands and two light brands, from leading and popular companies. Mold and yeast counts were performed (CFU/g); coliforms at 35°C and 45°C (MPN/g); sensory tests of acceptance by attributes (aroma, global impression, color, flavor), using information (traditional, diet and light), purchase intention, ordering-preference, and calculating the Acceptability Index. The results of purchase intent, acceptance by attributes and use of information were submitted to analysis of variance and the means compared by Tukey's test at 5% of significance. The acceptability index results were evaluated in percentage. The ranking-preference results were analyzed using the Friedman test. Microbiological values were descriptively evaluated. The experimental design adopted was completely randomized, with three processing repetitions (three batches). The microbiological results showed that the 12 treatments do not show contamination from molds and yeasts (negative) or from coliforms at 35 ºC and 45 ºC (<3 MPN/g), being within the food safety standards and can be consumed. There was a significant difference between the treatments, where the treatment H (diet chocolate), for the attributes aroma (6.60), global impression (6.78) and flavor (6.66), showed greater acceptance in relation to the other treatments. On the test with information, the leading brands in the market, treatments C and E (traditional), had the highest averages and differed from the other treatments, while treatment G (also the leading brand, diet) had the lowest average value. Regarding the ordering test, it was found that treatments F (popular brand, traditional), H (popular brand, diet), J (popular brand, diet) and K (leading brand, light) were the same and more preferred in compared to the other treatments. For purchase intent, it was noted that treatment H (popular brand, diet) stood out from the other treatments for having presented a higher average value (3.98), treatment H (popular brand, diet), for the four attributes obtained AI above 70%, being considered accepted by consumers. The 12 powdered chocolate milk treatments had excellent microbiological quality, showing no contamination related to the evaluated microorganisms, showing food safety, and the chocolate milk can be consumed by the population. Diet chocolate drinks, a popular brand, for the four attributes, showed greater acceptance. On the test with information, two of the six traditional brands, market leaders, presented the highest acceptance averages. There was a greater preference for popular diet brands compared to market leaders. For purchase intention, the popular and diet brand had greater acceptance when compared to the popular and traditional brand. Diet chocolate products had greater acceptability compared to traditional and light chocolates.