Efeito do processamento térmico nas características físicoquímicas, nutricionais, microbiológicas e na atividade enzimática de polpa de mamão Formosa (Carica papaya L.)

Abstract

Brazil is responsible for 25 % of total papaya production in the world, a fruit wich is mainly characterized for its nutritional aspects. The juice and pulp industries have showed an increase in their production in the last years. However, this segment takes only 5% of total papaya produced, while the remaining is consumed as a fresh fruit. This scene is unfavorable, because the high rate of losses during times of big harvests. The processing of papaya can minimize the losses, increasing its shelf life and adding value to this tropical fruit. One of the most used conservation method is HTST pasteurization (high temperature, short time), wich reduces microbial count to safe levels for the consumers and inactivates pectinesterase. This enzyme has an important role during fruit ripening, but it becomes undesirable after process, because acts in pectin and causes undesirable changes in the pulp. The main objective of this study was investigate the effects of temperature and process time on the pectinesterase activity in papaya Formosa pulp. The effects of thermal process on the physical and chemical, nutritional, microbiological and sensorial characteristics were also evaluated. The experiments were carried out following a 22 factorial design with central point. Two independents variables were studied, temperature and time, in the range of 75 to 95°C / 20 to 60 s. The results were submitted to analyses of variance with 95% of confidence interval. In the range of study, factors temperature, process time and interaction did not show significant effects in the characteristics such as pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids contents, vitamin B1, B2 and C contents, antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, carotenoids contents and colour parameters (L, a, b e ΔE). Temperature showed a positive significant (p<0,05) linear effect in the reduction of pectinesterase activity. The best time and temperature ranges for heat processing, which reached more than 95 % of enzyme inactivation were between 20 and 60 seconds at 95°C. The process at 95 ° C/ 60 s promoted a significant decrease in vitamin C content, compared to fresh pulp (Dunnett test at 5% probability level), while the other nutrients did not show significant losses. The presence of coliforms at 45 °C and Salmonella was not detected. The applied treatments were sufficient to promote a reduction of about 3 logarithmic cycles in the population of molds and yeasts. The Preference Map obtained by the acceptance analyses showed a trend of preference for the pasteurized at 95 °C / 60 s, 95 °C / 20 s and fresh samples, while commercial pulps were rejected by consumers.