Influência do congelamento do suco e do fruto da laranja (Citrus sinensis) nas propriedades físico-química dos pós de suco obtidos por spray dryer.

Abstract

Brazil is one of the largest producers of citrus fruits, with a great prominence in the production of orange, presenting 70% of the total fruit destined for the production of juice. In fruit juice the shelf life is limited and to prolong it are used conservation processes. The methods used for food preservation are aimed at avoiding undesirable changes, whether of microbial, enzymatic, physical or chemical origin. In this context, the present work sought the preservation by 30-day freezer freezing of the orange at -18ºC, as well as fruit juice, followed by dehydration by spray dryer, at an inlet temperature of 150ºC, having carrier 20DE maltodextrin, at a concentration of 15%. The analysis of frozen products of frozen orange juice and orange juice of frozen fruit was ascorbic acid content (vitamin C), grain size analysis, flow angle, water activity, aerated density, compacted density, particle density, fluxability and cohesion, isotherm, wettability, pH, soluble solids (ºBrix), yield, solubility and humidity. These analyzes were also carried out in fresh orange juice powder, dried under the same conditions for comparison. The freezing process of juice and fruit followed by dehydration proved viable, yielding 79.6% and 69.4%, respectively. Comparing the powdered product obtained from frozen juice and frozen fruit with the powdered product of the juice in natura, it can be said that most of the physico-chemical characteristics were conserved, which is good for the process, since which seeks to preserve the characteristics after freezing.