Desenvolvimento e caracterização de geleia de cupuaçu

Abstract

The conservation of food has always been a challenge for humanity, because throughout history has always been researched on food preservation techniques and how best to use. Thus, techniques such as the addition of heat, absence of heat (freezing) and dehydration, some of these techniques developed and used in some products such as fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs. Cupuaçu is a seasonal fruit, since its harvest period is between the months of January to May and its pulp because it contains a very high percentage of activity, which makes it a very perishable fruit. The present work had as proposal the development and characterization of the cupuaçu jelly from two techniques of dehydration of food, a lyophilized and another dehydrated in an oven. The jelly samples obtained from the lyophilized pulp and from the pulp dehydrated in an oven were compared to a commercial sample and analyzed for titratable acidity, pH, moisture, water activity (Aw), to verify the physicochemical characteristics of the jellies. Microbiological analyzes of total coliforms, molds and yeasts, analysis of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of jellies and dehydrated pulp, as well as sensory analysis to evaluate flavor, texture, appearance, color, and overall impression were also carried out. The results of the physical-chemical evaluation of the jellies were adequate to the product. Microbiological analyzes showed that the jellies were properly handled, as they are within the standard for consumption. The content of total phenolic compounds varied significantly between the samples elaborated in this study and the commercial sample, with the highest values being obtained for the former. The antioxidant activity measured by the DPPH free radical deactivation did not present a statistically significant difference. The results show that the processing of previous dehydration in the raw material does not negatively affect the presence of phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties in the final product. In the sensory analysis the dehydrated jelly by air circulating greenhouse, obtained the lowest note in the taste attribute in relation to the freeze-dried and commercial jelly. The lyophilized jelly was the one that presented the highest acceptance rate with 70%. 30% of the evaluators would certainly buy the lyophilized jelly and 30% possibly, this result evidences that the jelly produced with the pulp of cupuaçu undergoing the process of freezing and dehydration results in a product that still presents the same qualities of a jelly produced with the pulp of the fruit.