Monitoramento da qualidade físico-química de abóbora brasileirinha (Cucurbita moschata) minimamente processada.

Abstract

The Brazilian pumpkin has peculiar and uneven characteristics regarding the format pattern, generally rustic, being a horticultural crop very used in the consumption. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of minimally processed Brazilian squash. The pumpkins were harvested 70 days after planting at the Boa Esperança farm in the municipality of Teixeira-PB and transported to the Sensory Analysis Laboratory of the Center for Agro-Food Science and Technology of the Federal University of Campina Grande, Câmpus de Pombal - PB. By stages of minimum processing, where the fruits were submitted to cuts, slice and cube. The processed fruits were packed in expanded polystyrene trays wrapped with PVC film (12 um ) and stored in refrigerated vertical display at 3 ± 1 ° C and 78 ± 5% RH for 12 days. The physicochemical analyzes were performed in the Chemistry, Biochemistry and Food Analysis Laboratory of the CCTA, using a completely randomized design, in factorial scheme 2x7, where factor 1 corresponds to the types of cuts and factor 2 to storage times with 5 replicates By treatment. From the results, it was possible to observe that the slices, slice and cube, obtained low fresh mass loss along with reduced levels of vitamin C, phenolic compounds, flavonoids and anthocyanins. In relation to the commercial aspect the cube cut consisted of a better uniformity. The use of cold and recoating with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) contributed for the cuts, slice and cube, to maintain good state of conservation.