Petit Suisse cheese added açai: characterization and effect of the use of thickeners

The search for the development of new dairy products has been growing in recent years. Petit Suisse is a cheese that has been standing out in Brazil, reaching expansion in the market. The cheese added by fruits, such as açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), enhances the energy and nutritional value of the product. Its texture is an important feature, influencing the acquisition by the public. Thus, the objective was to develop and analyze the texture and physicochemical parameters of Petit Suisse cheeses added with açai. Three formulations (F1, F2 and F3) were prepared with different thickeners (xanthan gum and gelatin) and analyzed for texture, moisture, protein and pH parameters. The results indicated similarity between the different formulations for the texture parameters: F1 and F3 showed no significant difference (p ≥ 0.05), and F2 differed from F3 only in elasticity and cohesiveness. It was concluded that the application of different thickeners in Petit Suisse influenced its quality, being considered the best formulation that contained the mixture of thickeners (F3).