Juliana Alvarenga Alves

Chemical, Physical–Chemical, and Sensory Characteristics of Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn) Wines

UNLABELLED Four lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn) wines (prepared with 3 yeast strains [UFLA CA11, UFLA CA1183, and UFLA CA1174]) and a spontaneous fermentation (SPON) were done in order to add value to the fruit while preventing waste arising from the short shelf life of lychee. The fermentation was monitored daily by analyzing the soluble solids, pH, acidity, ethanol, and sugar. At the end of fermentation, the wines were subjected to chemical, physical-chemical, and sensory analysis. The wines prepared showed greater variations in the qualitative than in the quantitative analysis of their constituents. The sensory analysis indicated that the wines fermented by yeast UFLA CA1183 and UFLA CA11 had rates of acceptance above 75%. The principal components analysis separated the wines into 2 groups according to the analyzed compounds. Based on these analyses, the wine produced by inoculation with UFLA CA1183 proved to be the most suitable for the production of lychee wines. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Development of new products and adding value to fruits. Importance of selection of specific yeasts for production of fruit wine.

Caracterização física, química e bioquímica do mesocarpo interno de frutos do pequizeiro colhidos em diferentes estádios de desenvolvimento

The aim of this study was to characterize physical, chemical and biochemical pequi fruit produced in southern Minas Gerais, Brazil, during their development stages. Fruits collected in the 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th and 13th weeks after anthesis, were selected for size, skin color, and absence of injuries and evaluated according to firmness, levels of beta-carotene, total soluble sugars, and total and soluble pectins as well as the activity of pectinmethylesterase (PME), polygalacturonase (PG), peroxidase (POD) and polyphenoloxidase (PPO). It was found that with the advancement of days after anthesis occurs in pequi fruits the synthesis of beta-carotene and total soluble sugars, reducing firmness, pectic solubilization, absence of PME activity, decrease in PG activity and increased in activities POD and PPO in the pulp.

Qualidade de pequis fatiados e inteiros submetidos ao congelamento

This research was carried out aiming to evaluate the quality of pequi fruit (whole and sliced) after forced-air freezing storage during 12 months. The fruits were submitted to treatments as follows: selecting, washing, sanitizing, peeling, blanching, cooling, and slicing or not. After that, the fruits were storage using low density polyethylene bags and submitted to forced-air freezing (-18°C) for 6 hours and stored in freezer at the same temperature (±2°C) for 12 months. Each three months were measured: pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, firmness, color (L*, a*, b*, h° and C* values), total carotenoids, β-carotene, vitamin C, peroxide value, coliforms at 35°C and 45°C and Salmonella sp. Frozen whole pequi fruits is more effective in preserving the soluble solids and vitamin C contents and L* and b* values as compared to the sliced pequi fruits. The freezing-storage time reduce a*, b* and C* values, firmness values, soluble solids, total carotenoids, β-carotene and vitamin C contents of the pequi fruit, whole or sliced. Pequi fruit frozen is not affected by rancidity oxidative process, and also does not alter the pH, titratable acidity, and color (h°). Pequi fruit frozen and stored during 12 months are considered microbiologically safe, not offering health risks to consumers, since that the good practices of manufacture are realized and the freezing and stored process are performed correctly.