Influência de conservantes químicos na determinação da atividade antioxidante total em suco tropical de acerola

Abstract

The food industry uses chemical additives to extend the shelf life of its products and maintain their sensory and microbiological characteristics acceptable. However, the presence of preservatives in foods may interfere in the quantification of total antioxidant activity. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of food preservatives on total antioxidant activity and on the sensory and microbiological quality of acerola tropical juice. The fruits were washed, sanitized (200 ppm sodium hypochlorite), pulped and then were formulated with water and its specific preservatives. The juices were heat treated (90°C/60 seconds) and hot filled in glass bottles, which were closed, cooled until 35ºC and stored at 25ºC for 180 days. The formulations tested were: control juice without additive (C); juice with addition of 0.004 g/100 mL of sodium metabisulphite (SMS); juice with addition of 0.08 g/100 mL of potassium sorbate (SSP); juice added of 0.05 g/100 mL of sodium benzoate (SBS); juice added of 0.002 g/100 mL of sodium metabisulfite and 0.04 g/100 mL of potassium sorbate S(MS+ SP); juice with addition of 0.002 g/100 mL of sodium metabisulfite and 0.025 g/100 mL of sodium benzoate S(MS + BS). It was carried out chemical determinations for ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, total anthocyanins, total extractable polyphenolics and total antioxidant activity by ABTS and DPPH methods. Commercial sterility testing was performed on samples to determine the hygienic and sanitary processing and to check for any microbiological changes. In sensory acceptance tests were used acerola nectars, prepared by dilution from the acerola tropical juice and added sucrose to obtain 11 ºBrix, using a 9-point hedonic scale for flavor, color, aroma, sweetness, appearance, body and overall impression. The experiments were performed at three time points (0, 90 and 180 days) and the determinations were made in triplicate. The results were analyzed by the interaction between the juice type and storage time. Regarding anthocyanins content, all samples showed an average of 1.0 mg/100mL (P> 0.05). The acid ascorbic contents remained stable during the storage and ranged from 256.22 mg/100mL (C juice) to 301mg/100mL (SMS and SSP juices). The total carotenoid in treatments with or without preservatives did not vary significantly among themselves, with mean values of 0.04 mg/100mL. The yellow flavonoids showed no significant difference between the juice type (P> 0.05), averaging 5.30 mg/100 mL. For soluble dark pigments, SMS obtained the lowest range in absorbance at 90 days time (0.170 to 0.240), and greater variation for the control juice (from 0.230 to 0.320). All samples showed high losses of phenolics during storage, observing greater losses at times of 0 and 90 days, which ranged from 36.59% for S(BS + MS) and 42.97% for SMS. There was a significant variation of total antioxidant activity with time by the DPPH test (P≤0.05). The values ranged from 877.41 to 978.44 g/g DPPH for C and SMS juices, respectively. A similar behavior was observed for contents analyzed by the ABTS testing: 58.46 mM Trolox/g for SMS and 49.80 mM Trolox/g for control juice. A significant and positive correlation was verified between polyphenols and ABTS (r = 0.78) and DPPH (r = 0.44); anthocyanins and ABTS (r = 0.39) and DPPH (r = 0.44). Yellow flavonoids and ABTS and DPPH assays were negatively and significantly correlated (r = -0.83 and r = -0.52), respectively. There was no significant correlation between ascorbic acid and ABTS and DPPH assays. There was no significant interaction between any treatment and storage time (P> .05). Sodium metabisulphite and its combinations did not influence sensorial acceptance of acerola nectars, with assessments within the acceptable range for all analyzed attributes along storage time. The potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate singly were the additives that contributed most to a higher rejection sensory of products. The employed chemical preservatives, associated with the heat treatment, were effective for maintaining the commercial sterility of acerola tropical juices.