Karoline Mikaelle de Paiva Soares

Quality of unprocessed cooled fresh coconut water manually extracted by street vendors

Arq. Inst. Biol., v.84, 1-5, e0512016, 2017 ABSTRACT: Coconut water is a versatile beverage that is rich in nutrients, has few calories, and presents functional and therapeutic characteristics, improving the well-being and health of consumers. However, the growth of deteriorating microorganisms is facilitated by its water activity and high nutrient content; and when combined with improper handling, this product may become a carrier of foodborne diseases. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of unprocessed cooled fresh coconut water manually extracted by street vendors. Twelve samples of coconut water were collected and subjected to physicochemical (total titratable acidity, pH, and total soluble solids) and microbiological (mesophilic, and psychrotrophic microorganisms, molds, yeasts, and thermotolerant and total coliforms) analyses. The physicochemical analysis showed variations of 4.3–5.4 for pH, 0.01–0.03 for total titratable acidity, and 2.8–6.3 for total soluble solids. The microbiological analysis showed high contamination in the samples by deteriorating microorganisms, with 58% of the samples contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, regular use of good hygiene practices for handling manually extracted coconut water is necessary to physicochemically and microbiologically standardize this product. Thus, ensuring the quality of the coconut water when it is manually extracted by street vendors and trade as an unprocessed, cooled, and fresh beverage and consequently minimize consumer’s health risks.

Quality Index Method scheme for whole fresh carapeba (Eucinostomus gula, Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) stored in ice

Considering the importance of sensory schemes for the evaluation of the freshness of different fish species, and the fact that carapeba (Eucinostomus gula) is an important commercial marine fish species in Northeastern Brazil, the objective of this study was to evaluate the freshness and shelf life of this fish during 18 days stored in ice. Changes during storage were observed according to the sensory evaluation (Quality Index Method - QIM), physicochemical analyses (pH, total volatile basic nitrogen - TVB-N, and trimethylamine - TMA-N) and microbiological analyses (total mesophilic and psychrotrophic counts). High correlation was found between the Quality Index (QI) and storage time. The microbiological results showed increases in the mesophilic and psychrotrophic counts as from the 9th day of storage. The TVB-N and TMA-N both increased during storage and the pH value increased slowly. The results suggested that the fresh carapeba is acceptable for consumption when kept in ice for up to 10 days.