Influência do estado de humor sobre as percepções sensoriais em sucos de maracujá com diferentes teores de açúcar

Abstract

High sugar consumption and daily stress can negatively impact physical and mental health, potentially influencing sensory perception and food decision-making. This study investigated whether mental fatigue, induced by the Stroop test, affects sensory perception and food label interpretation of passion fruit juice with different sugar contents in 100 healthy adults (ages 18–60) in a crossover protocol with and without mental fatigue exposure. Instruments included the Stroop Test, the reduced Profile of Mood States (POMS), sensory evaluation of passion fruit juice with varying sugar levels (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%), and assessments of juice labels using ideal and global impression scales. Results showed that mental fatigue protocol used increased tension (P = 0.013) and confusion (P = 0.054), and reduced vigor (P = 0.030), leading to a moderate overall mood disturbance (d = 0.320). Purchase intentions based on labels were not affected by fatigue. Despite the mood changes caused by the fatigue protocol, there were no significant alterations in the perception of ideal sweetness, suggesting that increased sugar consumption is not associated with changes in the sweetness perception, but rather to emotional factors. Purchase intentions based on labels were not affected by fatigue. Label 2, which lacked the high sugar warning, was preferred for purchase intention in both groups.