Conservação de mandioca embalada a vácuo, pré-cozida e armazenada sob refrigeração

Abstract

Cassava is of great nutritional importance in tropical countries, as it is an energetic food and is used for human, animal and industrial use. The present work aimed to evaluate the quality of vacuum packed cassava, pre-cooked and stored under refrigeration. Cassava roots were washed, peeled and sanitized and then placed in low density polyethylene containers for vacuum application. After packaging, pre-cooking was performed with water vapor treatment at approximately 100 ° C during times of 0 (control), 2 and 4 minutes. Then the cassava roots were stored under refrigeration at 5 ºC for a period of 12 days, being the physicochemical (loss of fresh mass, color, pH and titratable acidity) and microbiological analyzes (coagulase positive Staphylococci, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella). sp, and Coliforms at 45ºC / g) at 0, 4, 8 and 12 days of storage. Data were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means compared by Tukey test at 5% probability using Infostat software. The cassava of the three treatments presented color, pH, titratable acidity and weight loss within the adequate standards for its conservation. Microbiological analyzes were within the limits of current legislation. This method of preservation (pre-cooking) may become viable as it is yet another alternative of adding value to the producer, providing a convenience product for the consumer and reducing post-harvest cassava losses.