Estudo da produção e análise físico-química de aguardente mista de abacaxi e algaroba

Abstract

Brazil stands out as one of the world's leading fruit producers, ranking just behind China and India. In the region of Paraíba, there are vast pineapple plantations, making this fruit an important source of income for the local population and a significant economic activity. However, a considerable portion of the production is lost due to the fruits ripening before they are sold. The algaroba is a plant commonly found in semi-arid regions, known for its richness in nutrients and sugars that contribute to the alcoholic fermentation process. Based on this scenario, the objective of this study was to develop and characterize a mixed spirit made from pineapple and algaroba. The pineapple was sourced from a local market in João Pessoa, the algaroba pods were collected in the semi-arid region of Paraíba, and the yeasts were purchased commercially. The juices of the pineapple and algaroba were extracted using a manually operated hydraulic press with a capacity of 30 tons from the brand POTENTE. To optimize and determine the best conditions for the fermentation process, a complete factorial planning 22 + 3 was conducted, involving different yeasts, namely Saccharomyces bayanus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The concentrations of yeast and the proportion between pineapple juice and algaroba juice were varied, considering them as the input variables. The alcoholic fermentation of the experimental planning was conducted in a total of fourteen trials and in a batch system. The independent variables evaluated were conversion percentage, productivity, and yield of biomass and product relative to the substrate. After the alcoholic fermentation, calculations were performed, and the best response was found at the central point, with a yeast concentration of 0.3 g/L and equal proportions of algaroba and pineapple. Based on the results obtained, the tests conducted with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces bayanus showed conversion percentages of 82.23% and 98.87%, productivity rates of 0.637 and 0.944 g/L.h, biomass yield relative to the substrate (Yx/s) of 0.004 and 0.016 gx/gs, and product yield relative to the substrate (Yp/s) of 0.422 and 0.447 gp/gs, respectively. Thus, the best conditions were established for a fermentation process designed to produce a larger quantity of the spirit. A study of the distillation of the alcoholic fermentation was conducted, resulting in a heart fraction with an alcohol content of 34.5° GL for the spirit produced with Saccharomyces bayanus and 38° GL for the spirit produced with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. After resting, the alcohol contents were 35.6° GL and 40.5° GL, respectively. The maturation of the spirits was expedited using oak wood chips over a period of one month. The identity and quality parameters of the produced spirits were analyzed and compared with the current legislation for fruit spirits, where the spirits yielded similar results within the standards established by MAPA, and it was verified that the spirit using Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed better performance than that using Saccharomyces bayanus.