Estabilidade da vitamina C durante processamento térmico por autoclave de cascata de água

Abstract

Preserving nutritional properties, parallel to the production of a safe food, is an eminent challenge in the food industry. During the application of conservation barriers in orange juice compounds can be affected, as is the case of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which is predisposed to easy degradation. Pasteurization is the most recommended heat treatment for the product in question, due to its acidity. Autoclaves are equipment designed for thermal food processing using moist heat, where they operate under controlled temperature, pressure and time. Some equipment can be classified as operating overpressure, such as the water cascade autoclave, which is seen as alternative for the thermal process of more sensitive foods, because it is characterized as a less invasive processing. This argument was confirmed in the present work, it was achieved retention of 97.47% of the ascorbic acid content after the action of heat. The use of different packaging for the test indicated that the use of metal packaging favors the stability of the micronutrient.