The fruit agro-industry is one of the sectors that stand out both in production and in the volume of losses along the supply chains, which has generated a strong concern from the nutritional, economic, social, and environmental points of view. This study is aimed at understanding the updated scenario of the conversion of fruit residues into value-added co-products, its main challenges, applications, and perspectives. For this, a literature review was conducted through Scielo, PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases. The advanced search covered the period from 2018 to 2022. The evaluation of the articles showed that the drying process is an important step to obtain flours from fruit co-products with characteristics that can provide longer shelf life, practicality, and versatility of use, demonstrating great potential for inclusion in various food preparations; although difficulties persist around the technological characteristics of this raw material, they can confer a nutritional increase, in addition to the possibility of additional health benefits due to the presence of bioactive compounds and fibers inherent in these products. Indeed, although there is a long way to go in studies with co-products derived from residual fractions of fruits, strategies such as these contribute to the better management of losses along the agri-food chains while providing greater food and nutrition security for the global population on the path to sustainability.
Carnauba (Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E. Moore) is a fruit of the Brazilian Caatinga and Cerrado regions. It has good nutritional characteristics, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity. However, some processing techniques can affect its chemical characteristics. This study aims at evaluating the effect of freezing and freeze-drying on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of carnauba pulp. The carnauba pulp was submitted to three different treatments: slow freezing (-18 °C/24h), fast freezing (-92 °C/60s) and freeze-drying. Then the bioactive compounds of fresh samples were analyzed - vitamin C, phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, carotenoids - along with the antioxidant activity (DPPH), immediately after processing and after 180 days of freezing storage. It was observed that the process influences the behavior of bioactive compounds and antioxidants, with significant losses of vitamin C, anthocyanins, and carotenoids in all treatments soon after processing, while total phenolic compounds, flavonoids and antioxidant activity increased significantly. At the end of 180 days a reduction of all bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity was observed although the freeze-dried samples presented a better stability of the compounds. Thus, quick freezing and freeze-drying could be representing the more promising technological processes for the maintenance of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of carnauba pulp.
Os alimentos e bebidas desenvolvidos atualmente buscam cada vez mais associar sabor agradável com alegações funcionais, oferecendo aos consumidores produtos mais saudáveis. Neste sentido, o objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver um néctar de caju adoçado com mel de abelha em substituição à sacarose, estudando também sua estabilidade química, físico-química, sensorial e microbiológica durante 180 dias de armazenamento à temperatura de 28 ± 2 °C. No desenvolvimento do produto avaliaram-se, através de testes afetivos de sabor e aceitação global, quatro formulações (A, B, C e D) com diferentes quantidades de suco de caju (15 e 20%) associadas a diferentes quantidades de mel em sólidos solúveis (10 e 11 °Brix). A formulação mais aceita foi processada e avaliada após o processamento e a cada 45 dias até o final do período de armazenamento. Dentre as formulações testadas, a preferida pelos provadores foi a formulação D com 20% de suco de caju e 11 °Brix. No estudo de estabilidade o produto manteve boa aceitação sensorial até o final do armazenamento em relação aos atributos: cor, sabor, avaliação global e intenção de compra. O produto manteve padrões microbiológicos satisfatórios de acordo com a legislação durante o armazenamento. As alterações químicas e físico-químicas ocorridas não caracterizaram instabilidade do produto, com exceção da vitamina C que ao final da armazenagem teve um decréscimo acentuado. Trata-se, portanto, de uma alternativa viável ao mercado de bebidas.
18 July 2023 in Rendiconti Lincei. Scienze Fisiche e Naturali
The Amazon contains the most significant number of known species on the planet, where fruits with peculiar characteristics can be found. The bacuri (Platonia insignis) is a native fruit of this region and has gained prominence over the years. A data survey was conducted to understand the bacuri production chain system and its economic potential. The results show that the popularity of the fruit has led to an increase in consumer demand and its price over the years. In addition, the mapping shows that this production chain needs a well-defined structure. Its current organization consists of the activities of associations and cooperatives that, over time, have assumed the integration between producers, industry, and the consumer market. This study also identified a gap in the official censuses and a need for studies to quantify production within the scope of small producers, aiming for more effective monitoring that allows the development and direction of policies that can support producers to strengthen this important production chain.
Development of new commercialized products and new recognized products that are increasingly innovative and promising. Among the ingredients that suit the characteristics, there is the hydrolyzed collagen of Nile tilapia (Oreochomis niloticus), extracted from the skin of some promissory tilapia to be discarded, as an alternative due to its nutritional and technological characteristics. Considering the importance of innovation in the food market and the use of healthy and sustainable ingredients for consumers, the marketing and sensory perception of a "molecular caviar" developed with the ingredient hydrolyzed collagen from tilapia skin was evaluated. The new product (molecular caviar) was compared with caviar (from sturgeon), via photographic records and questions about its sensory and marketing aspects, in a questionnaire made available on the Google Forms online platform, between October and November 2021 (pandemic period of SARS-COV 19). After analyzing the data, it was observed that the molecular caviar of hydrolyzed collagen from tilapia skin showed a high level of acceptability and purchase intent. In conclusion, molecular caviar appears as a possibility for the use and consumption of hydrolyzed collagen from tilapia skin.