QUALITY OF FRUITS MANUALLY PROCESSED OF AÇAÍ (Euterpe oleracea MART.) and BACABA (Oenocarpus bacaba MART.)

ABSTRACT The fruits of açaizeiro (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and of bacabeira (Oenocarpus bacaba Mart), two native tropical palms and socio-economically important for the Amazonian states, are utilized, almost in its entirety, in the production of processed pulp on agricultural family systems. In this sense, the present study aimed to the evaluation of physical, chemical, physic-chemical and functional quality of processed pulps of açai and bacaba. The fruits were harvested in private rural properties in the county of Cantá/Roraima (bacaba) and Boa Vista/Roraima (açaí). For the preparing of the experiment, the processed pulps were stored in small containers of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) transparent and cover (same material), with capacity of 145ml and, refrigerated at 3 ± 0.2 °C and 45% RH for 5 days. It was analyzed the follow parameters: pH, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids (SS), ratio (SS/TA), total and reducing sugars, total and soluble pectin, and the content of anthocyanins and total phenolics. At the end, for the açaí pulps, taking into account the limits set by Standard Identity and Quality (PIQ), only the TA parameter presented itself outside the normative instruction. However, the lack of standards for the bacaba pulps prevented such a comparison. Regarding the total content of pectin, it is possible concluded that both pulps presented low concentrations of this component, and aren’t suitable for producing jams and jellies without the addition of gelling agents. The total phenolic contents and anthocyanins, in both pulps, although decreasing with the refrigerated storage time, show reasonable concentrations in comparison to other foods with functional appeal.