Estudo das características físicas, físico-químicas e microbiológicas da farinha do fruto do mandacaru (Cereus jamacaru DC.).

Abstract

The Cereus Jamacaru cactus is one of the plants present in the caatinga, semi-arid region and northeast of Brazil that is present for most of the year as a result of its adaptation to hot and dry climates, this variety has a white pulp fruit, black seeds and oval that despite its availability is little used despite having a very high nutritional potential and a multitude of applications within food technology and can be converted into jams, jellies, flour and other diverse products. In this way, the present work aims to evaluate the physical, physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of the mandacaru fruit flour. The fruits were donated from a small producer, and transported to the food technology laboratory (LTA) of the Education and Health Center (CES) of the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG) Campus Cuité-PB. Soon after, they were washed/sanitized so that the fruit could be dried and the necessary steps for flour production were carried out. The characterization of water activity, Ph, acidity, humidity, ash content, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates was carried out and the flour was evaluated for microbiological analysis. The fresh fruit has an aw value (0.955) and the flour an aw value (0.314), the Ph of the fruit has a value of (4.8) and the flour a Ph value (5.51), acidity (5.68) and (6.89) for the fruit and flour respectively, and all these values differ statistically. The fresh fruit presented moisture (77.09) and the flour moisture (10.09), which is directly related to the drying process, whereas for ash (11.91) for the fruit and (13.71) for the flour having no statistical difference, since the protein content (1.42) and (6.90), lipids (0.98) and (3.85), carbohydrates (11.13) and (79.66) for the fruit and the flour respectively having all these values statistical difference. When considered microbiological performed for, the results were below the limit defined by the legislation, being considered appropriate to the hygienic-sanitary quality. It may have, it is necessary that a quality is required within microbiological studies and that the same quality is an achievement within food technology for its application.