ANÁLISE COLORIMETRICA DE AÇÚCAR MASCAVO E SUA ACEITAÇÃO NO MERCADO DE VIÇOSA-MG, BRASIL

Abstract

Brazil is known for its sugar cane production. Raw sugar is produced by artisanal farmers. As a result of artisanal production, raw sugar is diverse in color. The aim of this study was to analyze raw sugar color and its sensory acceptance in the market of Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Colorimetric tests (CIELAB) were done. The results were analyzed by multivariate analysis, similarity and dissimilarity measurements and clustering techniques (GENES software). Two samples of raw sugar commercialized by Associação Riobranquense de Produtores de Rapadura, Áçucar Mascavo, Aguardente e Melado (ARPRAM), eleven samples produced of his associates and six samples from commercial brands were colorimetrically analyzed. Three representative samples of dark, semi-dark and light color were chosen to test color sensory acceptance. This assessment used a nine point hedonic scale. Of the 19 samples analyzed, 13 had visible color differences. Samples with the highest dissimilarity were from a producer and from ARPRAM, with 16.47 Euclidean distance. Samples with greatest similarity were from ARPRAM and from a commercial brand with 0.44 Euclidean distance. There was no significant difference in color sensory acceptance among the tested raw sugar samples. Colorimetric analysis confirmed a lack of color uniformity among the samples produced and marketed by ARPRAM and from the commercial brand. However, differences in color did not influence the sensory acceptance of raw sugar among consumers.

Keywords

• açúcar mascavo
• análise colorimétrica
• aceitação sensorial.