Characterization of fruit pulps from artisanal producers in Porto Franco-MA

Abstract

The frozen fruit pulp market is an excellent alternative to avoid waste and losses, adding economic value to the fruit and becoming promising to the food sector, allowing the use of different flavors of fruit pulp, regardless of seasonality. The artisanal production of fruit pulp is a common activity in the city of Porto Franco, MA. Thus, the present work aimed to evaluate physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of handmade acerola and cajá pulps, checking if they meet the quality standards of the current legislation. Six samples were used to analyze pH, soluble solids (°Brix), total titratable acidity (TA) and vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and also microbiological analysis of coliforms at 45°C, Salmonella sp., molds and yeasts and mesophilic aerobic bacteria. From the results obtained, all pulps were within the Identity and Quality Standards (IQS) for pH and soluble solids. However, the acerola pulps were below the minimum limit for titratable acidity (0.8%) and vitamin C (800 mg/100g). As for the microbiological analysis, all pulps showed absence of Salmonella sp. and coliforms at 45°C <3, meeting the standards required by the legislation, as well as molds and yeasts and mesophilic aerobic bacteria. However, the inconformities in the acerola pulps did not affect the microbiological quality of the pulps, since all samples were in accordance with the legislation in force.