Evaluation of oxidative stability of pulp of feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana) under the influence of process

• Grant number: 11/19993-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2012
• End date: January 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Marta Helena Fillet Spoto
• Grantee: Fernanda Francetto Juliano
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Among the fruit trees native to the Atlantic, the family Myrtaceae stands out with great economic potential to be explored, and the feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana) from a fruit native to suitability for commercial exploitation. Its fruit is sweet-tart flavor and penetrating aroma, and is little known, yet, in the Brazilian market, showing no major crop in Brazil, however, is already marketed in the United States and Europe. Guava contains vitamin C-mountain and has antibacterial activity, antioxidant and anti-allergic, and flavonoids, which promote immune activity, and helps control inflammation. The growing consumer demand for natural food made with fresh or new ways of preservation were studied in order to minimize loss of quality products, keeping them closer to the raw and with a more stable shelf life. Thus, technologies that minimize nutritional and sensory loss, such as the use of irradiation to ensure greater stability of the pulp, becomes interesting. The objective of this study is to identify the bioactive compounds present in pulp feijoa (levels of ascorbic acid, carotenoids, total phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins and antioxidant activity) and to evaluate the stability of bioactive properties for a period of 90 days in the pulps treated with irradiation.