CAGAITA NECTAR (Eugenia dysenterica DC.): DEVELOPMENT, MICROBIOLOGICAL, SENSORY AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION, AND STABILITY STUDYThis study aimed to develop cagaita nectar (Eugenia dysenterica DC.) and characterize them regarding microbiological, sensory, and chemical parameters, and product stability during the storage. Four formulations of nectar containing 20, 30, 40 and 50% of pulp were developed and evaluated microbiologically (total and thermotolerant coliforms, molds, yeasts and Salmonella spp) and sensory (acceptance testing). The most accepted formulation was investigated for the content of soluble solids (SS), pH, titratable acidity (TA), relation SS/TA, moisture, protein, lipids, carbohydrates, total dietary fi ber (TDF), ash, carotenoids and ascorbic acid (AA), and stability while stored under freezing (-18°C/90 days) and refrigeration (5°C/72 hours). It was observed an absence of microorganisms in the four formulations examined. The formulations with 40 and 50% of pulp presented greater acceptance of color, fl avor and overall impression. The nectar containing 50% of pulp presented SS of 11.43 ºBrix, pH 3.59 and relation SS/TA of 19.37. In 100 g was found TA of 0.59 g of citric acid, 85.75 g of moisture, 0.29 g of protein, 0.27 g of lipids, 12.93 g of carbohydrates, 0.68 g of TDF, 0.08 g of ash, 55.31 kcal, 0.25 mg of carotenoids and 19.6 mg of AA. During storage, there were no statistically signifi cant changes in the values of SS, TA, pH, carotenoids and AA. The cagaita nectar attended to the chemical and the microbiological standards established by the Brazilian law, and has reached a good acceptance of consumers, and showed excellent stability during storage.
KEY-WORDS: CAGAITA; Eugenia dysenterica; NECTAR; SENSORY ANALYSIS. REFERÊNCIAS 1 ALMEIDA, S.P.; PROENÇA, C.E.B.; SANO, S.M.; RIBEIRO, J.F. Cerrado: espécies vegetais úteis. Planaltina: EMBRAPA-CPAC, 1998. 464 p.