Caracterização química e físico-química do pepininho do mato (Coccinia grandis) e produtos elaborados

Abstract

Unconventional food plants (UFP), used in popular medicine, have been gaining space in everyday human nutrition due to numerous scientifically proven benefits, such as anti-inflammatory actions, rich in micronutrients, fiber and for being a cheap alternative due to the majority being treated as a weed in gardens and plantations. The fruits of the Cucurbitaceae family, such as the fruits of Cucurbitas (pumpkin trees), fruits of the Cucumis species (cucumber and melon) and the Citrullus species (watermelon) are popularly known due to their flavor and large amount of nutrients such as ascorbic acid, a provitamin A (carotenoids) and alpha-tocopherol and beta-tocopherol. Coccinia grandis, commonly known as “pepininho do mato”, is an UFP that is part of the Cucurbitaceae family, its leaves have hepatoprotective, antifungal, anthelmintic activities, among other activities beneficial to health, on the other hand, studies indicate that the fruit of C. grandis also has an impact on human health. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the proximate composition and mineral content of green and ripe Coccinia grandis and predict its application as ingredients for ready-to-eat sauces. Two sauces were made, one type of ketchup (KS) and the other type tartar (TS), which were evaluated for sensory acceptability by 120 tasters, who answered a questionnaire about knowledge of UFP and consumption of plant-based products. The results were subjected to a statistical analysis in which the proximate composition was proteins (1.20 g/100 g), lipids (0.10 g/100 g) in wet mass and in dry mass approximately (98.6 g/100 g) for both maturation states. As for minerals, the most abundant were respectively calcium 9.34 mg/g for the green cucumber and 15.57 mg/g for the red, potassium presented around 25.00 mg/g for both. The sauces had high levels of sensory, with the ketchup-type sauce standing out in color (7.37) and flavor (7.32), while the tartar sauce was well evaluated for color (7.20) and texture (7.27 for both). Overall accessibility was 7.30 for both sauces, however both are viable and affordable options for consumers. Finally, it is concluded that C. grandis has numerous possibilities for exploration within the areas of food science and technology, as well as in cooking.