CARACTERIZAÇÃO FÍSICA, FÍSICO-QUÍMICA E COMPOSTOS BIOATIVOS DA POLPA E ALBEDO DO POMELO

Abstract

Brazil has a diversity of climates and soils with favorable conditions for managing a diversity of vegetables. As a result, one of its main economic highlights is citrus fruits, with emphasis on the production of oranges. A group of the orange family that has reddish pulp are pomelos, which are fruits that are little explored and have shown to have nutraceutical potential, as citrus fruits have potential in bioactive compounds such as ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds and carotenoids that offer benefits to health. The use of albedo and citrus fruit pomace can lead to a greater supply of ingredients and food products, the pomelo has a significant amount of albedo, rich in pectin that can be used to manufacture flour, pectin and essential oils, increasing the exploitation of its industrial potential. Thus, the objective of this work was to determine physical and physicochemical characteristics and bioactive compounds of the pomelo pulp and albedo. The fruits were harvested at the stage of commercial maturity popularly known as 'de vez' and evaluated for the physical characteristics of: fresh weight, longitudinal and transverse diameters of the fruit, internal diameter of the pulp and thickness of the albedo and flavedo and pulp yield; physical-chemical: pH, soluble solids, titratable acidity, soluble solids ratio, titratable acidity, pectin; proximate composition: moisture, water activity, ash, total sugars and bioactive compounds: ascorbic acid, carotenoids, yellow flavonoids and phenolic compounds. It was verified through the analyzes that the dimensions of the fruits varied considerably, with transverse diameters between 50.0 cm and 70.0 cm and diameters between 8.4 cm and 14.5 cm. The pulp yield ranged from 33.95% to 71.14%, with the pomelo variety studied being more suitable for products such as sweets and jams due to its drier texture. The values of soluble solids and titratable acidity were lower than those found in previous studies, suggesting variations between cultivars. High water activity in the pulp and albedo indicates a greater propensity for spoilage, despite the spongy texture of the albedo. The pectin content found in the pomelo showed considerable concentrations of pectin in the form of a percentage of calcium pectate, with potential for industrial applications. The amount of pulp in fruits, despite not being interesting for the juice industry, has interesting characteristics for the development of new products. Pomelo pulp has a high amount of bioactive compounds, mainly phenolic compounds, which may suggest high antioxidant activity.