Assessment of Physicochemical Properties, Bioactive Compounds, and Antioxidant Capacity During the Canning and Storage Processes of Pequi Pulp, a Typical Food Used in Traditional Brazilian Cuisine

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the effects of processing and storage on physicochemical properties, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity of canned pequi pulp, a typical food used in the Brazilian cuisine. The pulp in natura had a high content of polyphenols (165.2 mg GAE/100 g), carotenoids (144.0 µg/g), ascorbic acid (39.9 mg/100 g), and considerable antioxidant capacity, by DPPH (11.18 µmol TE/g). Optimum canning process comprised blanching (7 min), de-aeration (15 min), and pasteurization (15 min) in open-pan boiling water (97.6 °C). The canning process decreased (p < 0.05) the contents of bioactive compounds. In contrast, increase (p < 0.05) in the concentration of polyphenols and antioxidant capacity was observed after storage from two to four months, reducing the negative impact of processing on antioxidant potential of the canned pulp. The storage after canning recovered the bioactive compounds of the pequi pulp and revealed the product as a good source of antioxidants.

KEYWORDS:

• Caryocar brasiliense Camb.
• Brazilian native food
• canned pequi pulp
• phytochemicals
• phenolic compounds

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior), and FAPEG (Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás) for the financial support (scholarship). They are also grateful to UFG (Universidade Federal de Goiás) for allowing the analysis to be carried out at Escola de Agronomia (Planta Piloto de Processamento de Vegetais), and at Faculdade de Farmácia (Laboratório de Química e Bioquímica de Alimentos; Centro de Pesquisa, Desenvolvimento e Inovação Tecnológica em Fármacos, Medicamentos e Cosméticos - FARMATEC).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.