Mixture modeling methodology was used to investigate interactions of sugar, oligofructose and inulin in papaya nectars as related to sensory liking and chemical characteristics. Mixing sugar and inulin and increasing the sugar proportion raised the liking of flavor and sweetness and the overall acceptability of papaya nectars. Addition of the three components, along with raising the sugar proportion, increased the ash and soluble solids content in papaya nectars. The internal preference mappings showed that all nectars with oligofructose and inulin were as well liked as nectar containing sugar alone, except for some formulations with lower quantities of sugar. Formulations with 6 g/100 g sugar and 6 g/100 g inulin, or with 8 g/100 g sugar, 2 g/100 g inulin and 2 g/100 g oligofructose, can be considered to be the best formulations to produce, with regard to sensory liking and adequacy of chemical parameters, besides all papaya nectars with addition of oligofructose and inulin can potentially be claimed as prebiotic. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Inst Fed Educ Ciencia &Tecnol Triangulo Minerio, BR-38305200 Ituiutaba, MG, BrazilUNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias Letras &Ciencias Exatas, Dept Engn &Tecnol Alimentos, BR-15054000 Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP, BrazilUNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias Letras &Ciencias Exatas, Dept Engn &Tecnol Alimentos, BR-15054000 Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil