The use of functional ingredients in the formulation of novel foods has been the object
of study and research in the area of food science and technology. Concern about health
and quality of life leads the consumer to prefer healthy products. In this context,
functional foods in addition to nourishing promote benefits to human health, when
consumed regularly. The inclusion of functional ingredients, such as sweet potatoes
(Ipomoea batatas L.), in non-alcoholic beverages, can contribute to the maintenance of
health. Besides the functional aspect the acceptance of the consumers is essential for
their loyalty to the product. cajá (Spondias mombin L.) stands out as being a fruit with a
peculiar flavor and aroma and with good acceptability. This work aimed to develop a
freeze-dried functional beverage based on sweet potatoes and cashew nuts. A Rotational
Central Compound Design was used to combine the steam treatment with temperature
and storage time in order to increase the initial starch content in sweet potato. For the
formulations a blending design was used to establish the proportions of the ingredients
(sweet potato, cajá and stevia sweetener) in each formulation. The results showed that it
was possible to increase starch content by 101% in sweet potatoes. In the sensorial
analysis, the functional beverage, formulation F11, presented statistically equal
acceptance to the beverage without addition of sweet potato, showing to be a functional
food option that meets the expectations of consumers.
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