Evaluation of the Marketing Potential of Functional Food in the Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections in Brazil

ABSTRACT Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be considered a global health problem. This study aims to evaluate the interest of the Brazilian population in a functional product with the potential to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). An online questionnaire was used to collect information on sociodemographic profile, frequency of UTIs, frequency of consumption of dairy products, and willingness to pay for a product with functional potential in a sample of 687 participants. Most of the participants (79.9%) were female and had a monthly income above eight times the minimum wage. Around 45% of the participants had already had a UTI. The analysis revealed a significant association between sex and UTI, confirming the greater propensity of women to infection. In addition, it was observed that both younger and older participants were more willing to pay for a functional product. Among the participants, 45.7% demonstrated a willingness to pay more for a product with functional properties. Moreover, taste and health benefits were the key factors for choosing a product. These results suggest interest among the population for a functional dairy product to be consumed daily for UTI prevention.