Room temperature storage of myrtle (Eugenia gracillima Kiaersk.) tropical juice: Effects of physical and chemical preservation methods
Bruno Fonseca Feitosa,
Leidiana Elias Xavier,
Maria Silvanete Benedito de Sousa Lermen,
Monica Correia Goncalves,
Tiago Augusto Lima Cardoso,
Joao Vitor Fonseca Feitoza,
Adriano Sant'Ana Silva,
Emanuel Neto Alves de Oliveira,
Marcella Camargo Marques,
Lilian Regina Barros Mariutti,
Monica Tejo Cavalcanti
Affiliations
Bruno Fonseca Feitosa
University of Campinas, 13056-405, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Federal University of Campina Grande, 58840-000, Pombal, PB, Brazil; University of the State of Amapá, 68950-000, Amapá, AP, Brazil; Corresponding author. University of Campinas, School of Food Engineering, Monteiro Lobato 80, 13056-405, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
Leidiana Elias Xavier
Federal University of Campina Grande, 58840-000, Pombal, PB, Brazil
Maria Silvanete Benedito de Sousa Lermen
Family Farmers' Association of Serra dos Paus Dóias, 56230-000, Exu, PE, Brazil
Monica Correia Goncalves
Federal University of Campina Grande, 58840-000, Pombal, PB, Brazil
Tiago Augusto Lima Cardoso
Federal University of Campina Grande, 58840-000, Pombal, PB, Brazil
Joao Vitor Fonseca Feitoza
Federal University of Ceará, 60020-181, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
Adriano Sant'Ana Silva
Federal University of Campina Grande, 58840-000, Pombal, PB, Brazil
Emanuel Neto Alves de Oliveira
Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Norte, 59900-000, Pau dos Ferros, RN, Brazil
Marcella Camargo Marques
University of Campinas, 13056-405, Campinas, SP, Brazil
Lilian Regina Barros Mariutti
University of Campinas, 13056-405, Campinas, SP, Brazil
Monica Tejo Cavalcanti
Federal University of Campina Grande, 58840-000, Pombal, PB, Brazil; National Institute of the Semiarid Region, 58434-700, Campina Grande, PB, Brazil
Tropical fruit juices produced from native fruits have been widely marketed by small agribusinesses in the Brazilian semiarid region, necessitating a deeper understanding of the impact of preservation methods on quality parameters. This study aimed to prepare myrtle (Eugenia gracillima Kiaersk.) tropical juice and investigate the effects of physical preservation (90 °C for 60 s) and chemical preservation (potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate) methods. Tropical juice formulations were evaluated after preparation and every 15 days during 60 days of storage in high-density polyethylene bottles at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C). Microbiological parameters, optical microscopy, physicochemical and bioactive parameters, antioxidant capacity, and color parameters were determined. Heat-treated tropical juice showed low counts of all microbiological parameters, but optical microscopy revealed the presence of filamentous fungi after 60 days of storage. Combined use of potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate effectively prevented the development of total yeasts and molds up to 28 days of storage. Bioactive compounds in myrtle pulp contribute to storage stability, mainly total phenolics, estimated at 855.86 mg gallic acid equivalents 100 g−1. The results suggest that it is possible to harness the economic and agroindustrial potential of E. gracillima Kiaersk. fruits for the production of tropical juices, but it is recommended that other technologies be explored, such as aseptic processing or the combined use of physical and chemical methods.
