Marta Regina Verruma-Bernardi

Análise descritiva quantitativa do palmito de pupunheira

This research was carried out to establish the sensory profile of pejibaye palm heart. The quantitative descriptive analysis was used to establish the sensory attributes related to appearance, flavor, taste and texture of tree commercial marks of pejibaye palm heart. These samples were evaluated by eleven trained panelists who described nine sensory attributes: yellow color, uniform and humid appearance, non-characteristic aroma and flavor, acid flavor, residual acid taste, and soft texture. There were significant differences in six attributes among the three tested marks. Panelists described the pejibaye palm heart as: light yellow color, uniform and humid appearance, non-characteristic aroma and flavor, acid flavor with medium values, acid residual taste and bitterness final taste from little values and high soft texture to an medium value texture.

Nitrogen, Potassium, and Nitrate Concentrations of Lettuce Grown in a Substrate with KNO3-Enriched Zeolite

Zeolite minerals improve the efficiency of nutrient use by plants by helping to regulate the release of nitrogen and nitrate accumulation in tissues. The main objectives of this research were to evaluate effects of the addition of zeolite enriched with potassium nitrate (KNO3) on the nitrate (NO3-N) and potassium (K) levels of lettuce shoot. Treatments arranged in a completely randomized block design with three replications comprised two types of the natural zeolite: concentrated zeolite, zeolite + KNO3, and a control grown in substrate fertilized with a nutrient solution without zeolite supply. Four levels of enriched zeolite were tested (20, 40, 80, and 160 g per pot). Nitrogen, K, and NO3-N data were evaluated and response equations were fitted. The results indicated that zeolite enriched with KNO3 released the macronutrients N and K to lettuce plants. The concentrations of total N, total K, and NO3-N increased with zeolite levels, and there was a positive correlation between total N and NO3-N forms. To keep levels of NO3-N− in shoots within the safe limit for human consumption, based upon the regression equation for NO3-N the recommended dose of KNO3-enriched zeolite should be up to 78 g per plant.

FREMONT - IAC 543: TANGERINE WITH POTENTIAL FOR THE BRAZILIAN MARKET

Plantar novos tipos de tangerinas e uma alternativa interessante para os citricultores brasileiros, devido ao crescente mercado interno. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar uma nova variedade de tangerina, a Fremont. A qualidade fisica e quimica da fruta e do suco (massa, cor da casca, rendimento de suco, acidez, teor de solidos soluveis e ratio) foi avaliada, seguido por testes sensoriais para ordenar a diferenca e preferencia em relacao as variedades clementina Nules e tangerina Ponkan. A tangerina Fremont produz frutos que atendem aos padroes exigidos pelo mercado consumidor brasileiro, com massa apropriada para a venda como fruta fresca, rendimento de suco adequado, maturacao precoce a meia-estacao. Alem disso, teve a preferencia, junto com a clementina Nules, quando comparado com a tangerina Ponkan, a principal variedade comercial no Brasil.

Qualidade pós-colheita de um híbrido do tipo Ponkan de maturação tardia

O estudo de tangerinas e hibridos e de grande importância, tendo em vista o pequeno numero de variedades plantadas comercialmente e o amplo mercado que esse tipo de fruta pode atingir. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a aceitacao sensorial do hibrido TMxTP 9, proveniente do cruzamento entre tangor Murcott (TM) com tangerina Ponkan (TP), possibilitando a ampliacao do quadro varietal desse grupo citrico. Foram avaliadas as caracteristicas fisicoquimicas (massa, tamanho, numero de sementes, cor, acidez, vitamina C, solidos soluveis, ratio e rendimento de suco) e sensoriais (cor, sabor, aroma, textura, tamanho, descasque, firmeza). Um total de 50 provadores, nao treinados, realizou o teste de aceitacao sensorial atraves da escala hedonica estruturada de nove pontos para a aceitabilidade e escala estruturada de cinco pontos para intencao de compra. Os resultados obtidos na avaliacao sensorial apresentaram indices de aceitabilidade superiores a 50, ou seja, os frutos do hibrido TMxTP 9 tiveram 78% de aceitacao, o que indica que a variedade em questao agradou ao paladar dos consumidores brasileiros, sendo sua intencao de compra ainda mais satisfatoria, 84% dos provadores comprariam o produto. Conclui-se, portanto, que os frutos analisados estao aptos para a comercializacao, visto que apresentaram um bom resultado sensorial, com alta intencao de compra e aceitacao.

Effect of the spontaneous fermentation and the ageing on the chemo-sensory quality of Brazilian organic cachaça

This study verified the effect of the spontaneous fermentation/natural ferment (NF) on the chemo-sensory quality of cachaca, comparing to the commercial ferment (CF). The effect of ageing (maturation) was also analysed in the beverage. Microbiological analysis (plating on selective media for total/wild yeast and bacteria counting) and physico-chemical analysis (pH, acidity and soluble solids) were performed in the samples of the must and the ferment collected during three cycles of fermentation in a semi-industrial scale. Samples of cachaca were stored in 5-L oak containers for 45 days, subsequently analyzing the physico-chemical characteristics (pH, acidity, alcohol content, copper and secondary compounds) and sensory acceptability (aroma, flavour, colour, body and global impression). The fermentation with NF showed higher number of wild yeasts; however there was no difference in the number of bacteria comparing to CF. An intense acidification occurred during the preparation of NF, which was also observed in the initial cycles of fermentation, but decreased afterwards. Greater alterations in cachaca composition were found to be more exclusively related to the maturation than to the type of ferment, except for the acidity. However, there was a significant loss of aroma, flavour and global impression after maturation but only in cachaca produced with the CF. The results revealed a strong interaction between ferment and maturation of the beverage, suggesting that substances produced by the microorganisms from different inocula during fermentation reacted differently with the wood components of the barrels influencing the sensory attributes.