VIABILIDADE TECNOLÓGICA DA ADIÇÃO DA POLPA DE MANDACARU (Cereus jamacaru) NA ELABORAÇÃO DE PICOLÉS DE MARACUJÁ (Passiflora edulis)

Abstract

Popsicle production in Brazil has been growing since the 1990s, driven by warm weather and innovation, such as the launch of new products each year. Trends include natural flavors and vegan options, with 14% of Brazilians seeking vegan and natural alternatives. The overall objective of the study was to develop a mixed popsicle made from passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) and mandacaru (Cereus jamacaru) and evaluate its nutritional and technological properties. The specific objectives include determining the physical-chemical composition of mandacaru, developing different popsicle formulations with passion fruit and mandacaru, and evaluating the nutritional and technological properties of the final product. Three popsicle formulations were developed, keeping the amount of passion fruit constant (20%) and varying the concentrations of the pulp of the mandacaru fruit, respectively being F1 with 40% mandacaru pulp, F2 with 30% mandacaru pulp and F3 with 20%. The physical-chemical analyses were performed on both the pulp of the mandacaru fruit and the popsicle formulations developed. The samples were analyzed in triplicate. The analysis of the proximal composition of the mandacaru pulp showed that the moisture content was 88.0%. The ash content was 0.54%, higher than values found in other studies. The proteins registered 0.53%, considered low, but expected for fruits. The lipid content was 1.79%, close to the findings of other studies. The pulp presented 9.22% carbohydrates, 0.37% acidity, pH of 4.66 and 8.8 °Brix.These values indicate characteristics suitable for consumption and industrial processing. The three popsicle formulations (F1, F2 and F3), with different concentrations of mandacaru pulp, varied in terms of moisture content (64.28% to 81.66%), with F3 being the wettest. The ash content varied between 0.21% and 0.35%, and the proteins from 0.38% to 0.46%, which are low percentages. The lipid content was higher in F1 (2.11%), due to the higher concentration of mandacaru. The carbohydrates varied from 16.31% to 33.22%, with F2 presenting the highest concentration. The pH varied from 3.40 to 3.51, confirming the acidic nature of the formulations. The total soluble solids (TSS) content ranged from 21.5 °Brix to 35.33 °Brix, with F2 presenting the highest value, and all formulations within the legal standards required for water-based ice creams. The melting test revealed variations in the behavior and melting speed of the analyzed samples. Although all samples began the melting process at 10 minutes, formulations F2 and F3 presented the highest melting rates, with F2 being the fastest. On the other hand, formulation F1 was the one that demonstrated the greatest resistance to melting, remaining stable for longer than the other formulations. The popsicle formulations resulted in a new product, with high creaminess and good appearance, despite being a water-based ice cream. The study proves the viability of using mandacaru pulp in industrialized products, especially popsicles, and highlights that formulations with a higher concentration of pulp improve the nutritional quality and stability of the final product.