QUALITY OF FRUITS NATIVE TO LATIN AMERICA FOR PROCESSING: ARAZA (EUGENIA STIPITATA MCVAUGH)

Abstract

Araza was domesticated in western Amazon, in the area that is now known as Peru. The fruit is very attractive to consumers for its delicious tart flavor, and is traditionally consumed as juice. The industrial processing of the juice could represent an attractive alternative to the traditional method of using frozen pulp, as it has a potential for longer storability. With the objective of evaluating the potential for processing, partially ripe (yellowish green) and ripe (yellow) fruits of araza were analyzed for physical, chemical and biochemical characteristics that could affect the process of juice extraction and stability, as well as the acceptability of the product. It was found that the pulp has a low soluble solids content (4.34oBrix) with very high titratable acidity (2.98%) as citric acid, and 0.64 and 1.45% total soluble sugars in green and ripe fruits respectively. The pulp yield is very high, between 85.86 and 88.57% according to maturity. The contents of starch (approximately 0.6%) in both stages and total pectin (between 0.34 and 0.39%) suggest that increase in yield with the use of processing aids such as enzymes could be of low significance. The native activity of pectic enzymes is relatively low, 4.33 EAU for poligalacturonase and 4,741.33 EAU for pectin methylesterase. The phenolic contents in all the extracted fractions can be considered low if compared to astringent fruits and no difference was found between stages of maturation. Ascorbic acid contents were respectively 31.78 and 33.70mg/100g.