Processamento e armazenamento de grãos de abóbora.

Abstract

The pumpkin is a commonly consumed food, but its seeds (grains) are usually discarded and considered sub products. In order to find a food uses these grains, it was performed a chemical and physiochemical characterization besides a storage study on them. The raw pumpkin grains were processed and submitted to drying and cooking. The drying of the grains took place in an oven at 100 °C until the moisture content reached 2, 4, 6, 8 e 10%, the dried grains were denominated treatments T], T2, T3, T 4 e T5, respectively; then they were stored in polypropylene packing for 180 days at room temperature. Later, the raw pumpkin grains were cooked and storage in glass containers for 90 days in room temperature. Every 30 days the dried and cooked grains were submitted to chemical and physiochemical analyses of their moisture content, ashes, pH, total titratable acidity, crude protein, starch, total sugars, crude fiber, and color, during the storage. The microbiologic control of coliforms, molds and yeasts were made at the beginning and at the end of the storage. It was verified that there wasn't change in moisture content and crude protein of the cooked grains between the beginning and the end of the storage, however there was maintenance in crude fiber, ashes and yellowness during the storage. It was verified that there was a reduction in total sugars, starch, pH and brightness besides increased in total titratable acidity and redness, of the cooked grains, between zero time and 90 time of the storage. It was checked that there wasn't alteration in moisture content of the dry grains for the treatments Ti and T5 , during the storage. It was verified that there was maintenance in crude protein, crude fiber, ashes, starch, brightness, redness and yellowness, besides small increase in total titratable acidity, for all treatments, between the beginning and the end of the storage. There was a reduction in pH for treatments Ti, T3, T4 e T 5 , and total sugars for treatments T2, T3, T 4 e T 5 , between the beginning and the end of the storage. The pumpkin grains dry and cooked were well received by tasters and the microbiology of grains storage was within values presented in the literature.