Estudo da polpa de acerola (Malphighia emargina D.C.) desidratada em leito de jorro.

Abstract

This work had, as aim, the obtaining and characterization of West Indian cherry (Malphighia emarginata D.C) powder pulp and study the storage effect in the powder. The West Indian cherry powder was obtained by drying a solution containing 90% of West Indian cherry pulp and 10% of maltodextrin, in a spouted bed dryer, with drying air temperature of 70°C. The West Indian cherry pulp was physical-chemically characterized. by pH. soluble solids (°Brix), moisture content. total solids, total acidity, ascorbic acid. sugars reducers and ashes. The moisture adsorption isotherms of the West Indian cherry powder were determined in temperatures of 20°C, 25°C and 30°C, by gravimetric static method, using saturated salt solutions. The experimental data of isotherms were fitted with the BET, GAB, Oswin and Smith's equations, being classified as Type III according to BRUNAUER. The physical analysis of West Indian cherry powder was made by determination of density. repose angle, funnel discharge time and wettability whose demonstrated that the West Indian cherry powder is a high higroscopic product and has difficulty of flowability. In the study West Indian cherry powder storage, at room temperature, was observed, alter 60 days of storage, loss of 29.72% in the ascorbic acid content, increase of 51.31% in the moisture content, browning of the powder, this had been verified by the parameters of the color (L, a, b); the value of the pH varied during the storage, between 3.7 and 3.8.