Sugarcane juice fortified with vitamin C: formulation and stabilization

• Grant number: 23/05328-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo Rodrigues Petrus
• Grantee: Rodrigo Rodrigues Petrus
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Sugarcane juice (pH ~ 5.0) is a highly energetic beverage, but poor in vitamin C. The juice is also sensitive to heat treatment conventionally employed on the industrial scale. This research proposal addresses the combination of mild heat treatment and high hydrostatic pressure on the stabilization of cane juice fortified with vitamin C. The camu-camu fruit (pH ~ 2.5) as a source of this micronutrient will be used. The pulp will be added to the juice until attaining the pH of 4.3. After acidification/fortification, the juice will be divided into three parts, and separately destined to 1) heat treatment (72 °C/15 s), 2) high pressure treatment (400 MPa/2 min), and 3) heat treatment followed by high pressure. The comparative evaluation of the treatments´ performance, as well as their likely synergistic effect, will rely on the physicochemical, microbiological, enzymic, and sensory tests, measurement of color parameters, determination of vitamin C, total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Statistical tests will be performed using multivariate analysis of principal components, and comparison of means at 5% significance. This research will be conducted in the pilot plant, and the microbiology, packaging, and sensory analysis laboratories in the Food Engineering Department at the Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering of the University of São Paulo, in Pirassununga. The high pressure processing will be performed in the emerging technologies laboratory in the Food Technology Department of the Food Engineering Faculty at the State University of Campinas. (AU)