Caracterização do fruto de cerejeira (eugenia involucrata DC) visando seu aproveitamento tecnologico

Abstract

Cherry (Eugenia Involucrata DC), is a wild fruit belonging to Myrtaceae family, very appreciated regionally, both as in nature consume as well as juices and jellies. The fruit present red to black color, due to high levels of anthocyanins. In this work several maturation stages, mature fruit nutritional and physical properties and its technological potential were evaluated The results showed that the fruit presented on average diameter of 18.85 mm, height of 20.56 mm, weight of 6.75 g and contained 76.57 % of pulp. The physiochemical composition showed that the cherry presented high content of phenolic components, significant antioxidant capacity (12141.48 μM.g-1) and high contents of phosphorus and potassium (15.20 and 230.00 mg.100g-1, respectively). The frozen pulp cherry was monitored for twelve months. The main factors of quality loss went to the degradation of the vitamin C (73.06 %), phenolic compounds (42.87 %) and antioxidant activity (45.85 %). The other representatives showed good stability. In the processing of the cherry juice, the largest yield was obtained by enzymatic treatment of the pulp. Two liquor fruit formulations were performed and both didn't present difference preferably by sensorial judges. Pectins were extracted sequentially with water and citric acid (5 %), obtaining four fractions, those from acid extraction showed a higher yield. The monosaccharide composition of fractions indicated presence of uronic acids, arabinose, galactose, glucose and ramnose, according GLC and NMR analysis. All the pectic fractions were classified as low esterification degree (LM). These results indicated that the cherry presented high technological potential.