Campo elétrico pulsado como pré-tratamento da produção de kefir de água

• Processo: 24/18017-1
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Exterior - Estágio de Pesquisa - Iniciação Científica
• Data de Início da vigência: 01 de fevereiro de 2025
• Data de Término da vigência: 31 de maio de 2025
• Área de conhecimento: Engenharias - Engenharia Química
• Pesquisador responsável: Eric Keven Silva
• Beneficiário: Cesar Melo Martins Filho
• Supervisor: Olga Martin-Belloso
• Instituição Sede: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brasil
• Instituição Anfitriã: Universidad de Lleida (UdL), Espanha
• Vinculado à bolsa: 24/04948-3 - Eletroestimulação celular da cultura simbiótica de kombucha e seus efeitos sobre a cinética de fermentação e qualidade da bebida, BP.IC
• Assunto(s): Compostos bioativos Eletroporação Engenharia de processos
• Palavra(s)-Chave do Pesquisador: Compostos bioativos | eletroporação | Engenharia de Processos

Resumo

The growing interest in fermented beverages, especially for their unique flavors and health benefits, has highlighted water kefir as a promising alternative to dairy-based products. It is produced by inoculating a consortium of bacteria and yeasts, assembled in polysaccharide grains, into a sugary solution. The beverage demonstrated to have antioxidant, antiulcerogenic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects due to its probiotic content and chemical composition. Despite its potential attributes, traditional fermentation methods often struggle to maximize the exchange of nutrients with the cellular environment, limiting the production of desired compounds. In this context, pulsed electric fields (PEF) technology has emerged as a promising nonthermal processing method, capable of enhancing fermentation process. The effects of PEF pre-treatment, specifically focusing on electric field strength (kV/cm), will be evaluated on the fermentation kinetic and main product attributes, regarding bioactive compounds of water-based kefir beverage. This research will also contribute to the understanding of PEF technology as a sustainable and efficient pre treatment for improving water kefir beverage quality.