Desarrollo y caracterización de mermelada producida a partir del fruto de mate (Crescentia cujete L.)

Abstract

The research work was performed out with the purpose of providing a satisfactory alternative for the use of the mate fruit that is grown in Tropical America, in Ecuador industrialization alternatives for this type of fruit are unknown. The experimentation allowed to develop and characterize jams using the pulp of mate fruit (Crescentia cujete L). Four types of jams were made containing: mate (pulp or pieces), sugar or sucralose, pectin, citric acid and ascorbic acid. The results obtained allowed us to verify that the type of processing and the fruit-sweetener ratio are involved in the physicochemical, sensory, microbiological, rheological and texture properties of jams. The characterization of the raw material was performed out by physicochemical analysis which showed to be an acidic fruit, with 4.6 pH, 0.22 percent acidity, 6.4 Brix degrees and 82.4 percent humidity. Jams with both sugar and sucralose added, increasing in hardness and decreased in adhesiveness. The sensory evaluation allowed to determine that the formulation made with pulp and with the addition of sucralose obtained greater acceptability by the panelists. Jams were adjusted to the model of the Law of Power, presenting indices of behavior with values smaller than the unit (n less to 1). The nutritional content evaluation was carried out at the optimum product which presented 94.29 percent humidity, 0.53 percent protein, 0.64 percent fat, 3.20 percent fiber, 0.22 percent ash, 1.12 percent carbohydrates and 12.37 kcal. On the other hand, the useful life time was estimated by microbial evaluation, obtaining durability of four months.