Mixed fruit juices from Cerrado: Optimization based on sensory properties, bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity
ISSN: 0007-070X
Article publication date: 19 July 2018
Issue publication date: 20 September 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to optimize a mixed juice made from Brazilian Cerrado fruits (cagaita, mangaba and marolo).
Design/methodology/approach
The juices were evaluated by rheological, physical, physicochemical, nutritional and sensory acceptance analyses. The mixture design is a widely used tool for product optimization, allowing the determination of factors, combinations and levels that provide best responses.
Findings
The results show that using mangaba pulp negatively contributed to juice acceptance, but resulted in the highest ascorbic acid content. The treatments produced using cagaita and marolo pulps presented a greater acceptance by consumers, and contributed to higher antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds content. The juice prepared with a mixture of equivalent quantities of the three fruits had the highest β-carotene and lycopene contents.
Practical implications
This research has shown that different fruit combinations can improve sensory and nutritional characteristics, adding value to the final product.
Social implications
The processing of mixed juices could increase population access to the nutrients present in Brazilian Cerrado fruits, given that they are seasonal and perishable fruits.
Originality/value
In recent years, there has been an increase in the development of new food products based on Cerrado native fruits, however information on the chemical and nutritional characteristics, rheological behavior, and sensory attributes of the derivative products are still limited, resulting in a lack of scientific investments in this area. In addition, it is necessary to optimize the developed products to offer the consumer a unique product, combining the characteristics of two or more fruits, which adds value to the final product.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, Brasília, Brazil) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Capes, Brasília, Brazil) by granting the scholarship and financial support in the acquisition of equipment, and the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil) by financial support for this research (CAG–APQ-01848-14_522847 FAPEMIG).
Citation
Schiassi, M.C.E.V., Lago, A.M.T., Souza, V.R.d., Meles, J.d.S., Resende, J.V.d. and Queiroz, F. (2018), "Mixed fruit juices from Cerrado: Optimization based on sensory properties, bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity", British Food Journal, Vol. 120 No. 10, pp. 2334-2348. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-12-2017-0684
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited