USE OF PURPLE SWEET POTATO “BENI IMO” AS A NATURAL FOOD ADDITIVE: CHARACTERIZATION AND APPLICATION
anthocyanins; natural ingredients; natural pigments; petit-suisse cheese; clean label
Consumers' eating habits have been changing sharply over the past decade. Nowadays, there is a great demand for healthier and more natural options. These products are designed to be obtained through a simpler process and free of components that can cause negative impacts to health, such as allergens and additives, in which the artificial dyes are included. Several studies show that the use of synthetic dyes can cause several deleterious effects. Such effects, which may occur in the short, medium, and long term, lead to a tendency to substitute these synthetic dyes for natural and renewable options. In this spectrum, several studies have been developed to propose the use of natural ingredients and additives, obtained from vegetables, including those used with the intention of coloring. To be used as a source of natural dye, the plant matrix must meet three requirements: be widely available in nature, present low production costs and have a high yield, which makes it possible to use alternative sources. An example of a vegetable matrix that can be potentially used to obtain these additives is the purple-fleshed sweet potato, since this tuber has a high concentration of anthocyanins. Such pigment is responsible for a wide range of colors, have a remarkable bioactive capacity, easy handling and low cost for cultivation, and great adaptation to different climates and soils. Studies also indicate that the components of this plant are associated with the prevention of degenerative diseases. Thus, the use of purple-fleshed sweet potatoes to obtain natural ingredients can improve the nutritional and bioactive characteristics of products. This project aims to obtain and characterize lyophilized powders of different colors from the purple-fleshed sweet potato “Beni imo”, as well as to evaluate the application of these powders as a natural food additive and their possible impacts on the physical, chemical, functional, bioactive, and sensory properties of petit-suisse cheese.