Desenvolvimento de biscoitos ricos em carotenoides utilizando a farinha de buriti (Mauritia flexuosa L.) obtida em uma comunidade extrativista do município de Caxias/MA

Abstract

The buriti is the most abundant palm in the Brazilian territory. It is one of the largest in the Amazon, distributed throughout South America, as well as its fruit offers attractive sensory, high nutritional value, being one of the prominent bioactive compounds carotenoids, especially pro-vitamin A, beta-carotene and alpha-carotene. An evaluation involving the world's population demonstrates a high prevalence of deficiencies of vitamin A. The strategies for the treatment and prevention of these needs are based on dietary changes, supplementation and intake of fortified products. In Brazil, these shortages are also challenges for health policies, so the Health Ministry confirms the importance of food fortification and the creation of programs for the fortification or addition of nutrients to the products of great consumption in all social classes and age groups. In this sense, the objective of this study was to use the buriti flour acquired in the Community Extractive in the town of Buriti do Sangue, Caxias, MA to develop two formulations of biscuits enriched with pro-vitamin A, thus increasing the population's access to benefits bioactive of buriti and diversifying their use. The first stage of this work was the characterization of the meal produced in the community: composition and profile carotenogenic. Later this flour was used in preparing two formulations of biscuits, replacing partially (10 and 25%) white wheat flour traditionally used. The analyzes were performed on the products: physical and chemical properties (quantification of carotenoids and composition); microbiological (Salmonella, Coliform bacteria and fecal origin, yeasts and molds) and sensory (affective acceptance tests with hedonic scale and sorting by the consumer preference .) The DATA were statistically evaluated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test, with p <0,05. The results showed that buriti flour presented high levels of total carotenoids expressed as beta-carotene (95.62 +9.87 ug / g) and a composition rich in lipids (50.39% = 0.126) and fiber (33.627% .) The evaluation of biscuits revealed the microbiological safety of the same, with all tests performed within the standards of the RDC 12. The profile carotenogenic confirmed enrichment while the levels of total carotenoids expressed as beta-carotene 4.85 +0.19 ug / g, 19.80 +4.56 ug / g, 75.93 +1.62 ug / g for the control biscuit with 10% buriti dry flour and 25% respectively. Descriptive, the average scores for the cookies were between 6 and 8 on the basis of attributes, including impressions "I slightly liked it" to "I really liked it. "Approximately 84% of the tasters would buy one of the samples of buriti flour biscuit. Considering the carotenoids found, microbiological analysis and sensory evaluation, the biscuits can be offered an alternative food as one more product enriched with pro-vitamin A.