Foam Mat Drying of Juçara Pulp

• Grant number: 24/16950-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: October 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Guilherme de Figueiredo Furtado
• Grantee: Emily Ferreira Santos
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências da Natureza (CCN). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Campus de Lagoa do Sino. Buri , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The fruit of the juçara palm tree (Euterpe edulis Martius) is found in the Atlantic Forest and is aligned with sustainability, as its production chain adopts measures that cause little damage to the environment. The pulp can be obtained from the juçara fruit, which, in sensory terms, is very similar to the pulp of the açaí (Euterpe oleracea), which already has a well-established and accepted consumer market in the sector. The processed pulp is classified as a functional product due to its high content of bioactive compounds, being rich in unsaturated fatty acids, phenolic compounds and anthocyanins. The pulp can be consumed directly or used to prepare jellies, juices and dehydrated products. Foam mat drying is a low-cost technological process that contributes to the preservation of liquid and pasty foods, such as fruit pulp. In this drying method, the product is converted into a foamy material, which is placed in thin layers on a tray and dried with hot air. The reduction in the water activity of the product increases its microbiological stability and decreases its volume. Thus, such production significantly reduces packaging, transportation and storage costs. This work focuses on establishing parameters for the processing of juçara fruit using foam layer drying, evaluating the kinetics of the drying process and the chemical characteristics of the fresh and dried product.