A potential commercial use of cajeta (a traditional milk product from Mexico) in the development of whey beverages

Abstract Cajeta is a Mexican artisanal candy elaborated from goat milk. While it is popular among consumers, it is necessary to find alternative uses to improve access to stable and fair trade for producers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a functional beverage using whey with different levels of inulin (4, 8 and 12%) as a prebiotic, guar gum (0.321, 0.625 and 1.25%) as a thickener and cajeta (20% v/v) as flavoring. Nine formulations were prepared, stored at 4 °C and analyzed on days 0, 7 and 14. The pH values were constant (5.9) in all formulations, while acidity exhibited changes on days 0 and 14. Flow properties of the beverages exhibited a non-Newtonian behavior and fitted best with the Power Law (PL). According to acceptance tests and a Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) questionnaire, it was possible to obtain a cajeta-flavored whey-beverage using lower concentrations of inulin and gum. The physicochemical characteristics provided by ingredients added in lower concentrations did not affect the organoleptic properties of the product, showed lower viscosity, and were highly accepted by most participants.