SIMÕES, M. A. E. S.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6255548386742461; SIMÕES, Maria Antônia Evaristo de Souza.
Resumo:
With the significant changes in the population's eating habits, there has been a great
interest in foods with properties that benefit health, and cacti are considered a plausible
possibility, showing nutritional and technological potential. In view of the above, this research
aimed to assess the breadth of knowledge about cacti and their potential through a market
survey of students in the field of nutrition science. To this end, an online questionnaire was
applied via Google Forms. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were then carried out. During
the analysis, 108 volunteers were submitted to the aforementioned questionnaire. Of the sample
of participants, 80.60% belonged to the bachelor's degree course in nutrition at CES/UFCG,
while 19.40% belonged to the technical course in dietetic nutrition at CAVN/UFPB, and the
most common age group was 18 to 24 years old. This data shows that the participants in the
survey as a whole live in northeastern Brazil, predominantly in the state of Paraíba. It was noted
that there is significant knowledge of the term cactaceae, affirmed by 91.70% of the
participants, however, consumption of cactaceae and their products is unusual, as 83.30% say
they have not consumed any type of cactaceae. It is therefore clear that cacti and their products
are not widespread and need more studies to prove their benefits, so that they can be included
in the human diet. This shows that there is significant interest in the consumption of cacti and
their products, making them a viable alternative for the human diet, as well as demonstrating
favorable technological potential.