Marileusa D. Chiarello

Antioxidants and sensory properties of the infusions of wild passiflora from Brazilian savannah: potential as functional beverages.

BACKGROUND The study of biodiversity for species recovery and sustainable use has encouraged research with plants from Brazilian savannah. We aimed to characterize chemical and sensory properties of infusions of passifloras, due to their potential as functional beverages. Infusions and hydroalcoholic extracts of four species of wild passifloras, three varieties of Passiflora edulis and a commercial passiflora tea were evaluated for total phenolics (TPs), total flavonoids (TFs), condensed tannins (CTs), and antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP). Free-choice Profile and acceptance, compared with green tea, were performed for sensory characterization. RESULTS In general, infusions had higher levels of TPs and CTs than hydroalcoholic extracts, which in turn had higher levels of TFs. Infusion of P. nitida showed higher amounts of TPs and antioxidant activity. Acceptance of passiflora infusions was similar or higher than that of green tea, except for P. alata. P. setacea presented a sensory profile similar to other commercial teas and higher acceptance by a group of consumers. CONCLUSION Passiflora infusions showed different degrees of suitability as acceptable functional beverage. Identification of phenolics and other bitter compounds is needed to understand the intense bitterness of P. alata, as it did not present the highest contents of TPs, CTs and TFs.

Influence of strawberry jam color and phenolic compounds on acceptance during storage

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the color and phenolic compounds of strawberry jam on acceptance during storage. Jams were processed, stored for 120 days and evaluated monthly for chromatic characteristics, total phenolic compounds, total anthocyanins (ANT), total ellagic acid (TEA), flavonoids and free ellagic acid (FEA), and sensory acceptance as well. Data were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the means were compared by the Least Significant Difference (LSD). Cluster Analysis and Partial Least Square Regression (PLS) were performed to investigate the relationships between instrumental data and acceptance. Contents of ANT, TEA and redness decreased during storage. Other chemical characteristics and sensory acceptance showed a nonlinear behavior. Higher acceptance was observed after 60 days, suggesting a trend of quality improvement followed by decline to the initial levels. The same trend was observed for lightness, non-pigment flavonoids and FEA. According to PLS map, for consumers in cluster 2, acceptance was associated to jams at 60 days and to luminosity, FEA, and non-pigment flavonoids. For cluster 1, a positive association between flavor liking, jam at initial storage, and the contents of TEA and ANT was indicated. Jams at 120 days were positively associated to hue and negatively associated to color liking, for cluster 1. Color and texture were positively correlated to overall liking for cluster 2, whereas for cluster 1, overall acceptance seemed to be more associated to flavor liking. Changes in color and phenolic compounds slightly influenced the acceptance of strawberry jams, but in different ways for consumers clusters.

Qualidade sensorial de néctares de maracujás BRS Ouro Vermelho produzidos em diferentes sistemas de cultivo

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o perfil sensorial e a aceitabilidade de nectares de maracujas obtidos de plantas submetidas a diferentes sistemas de producao, orgânico e convencional, com ou sem sombreamento pelo consorcio com mandioca. As amostras foram avaliadas por Analise Descritiva Quantitativa e por teste de aceitacao com escala hedonica. Os dados do perfil descritivo e de aceitacao foram analisados por Mapa de Preferencia Externo, Analise de Variância e teste de comparacao de medias de Fisher. Observou-se que os frutos que nao foram submetidos ao sombreamento apresentaram nectares com perfil sensorial bastante semelhante e maior aceitacao. Nectares de maracuja convencional nao sombreado e orgânico nao sombreado apresentaram correlacao com os atributos aroma verde, homogeneidade e gosto acido. As maiores diferencas na aceitacao foram observadas entre as amostras convencional sombreada e orgânico nao sombreada, com diferencas significativas nos atributos de cor, sabor e qualidade global. O Mapa de Preferencia Externo apontou que a amostra de nectar convencional sombreado, com menor aceitacao, foi correlacionada com os atributos fibrosidade e viscosidade.