As diferenças das propriedades físico-químicas e padrões de consumo de açaís consumidos no estado do Pará e na região da fronteira oeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

The açaí, a purple baccate fruit originating from the açaí palm, a native plant of the Brazilian Amazon and the most important species of the genus (Euterpe oleacea). It is worth noting that açaí has gained national and international recognition, bringing about significant changes to the economy of the Northern region of Brazil, especially in the states of Pará and Amazonas, responsible for 87.5% of the total production. Brazil plays a fundamental role as the main producer, consumer, and exporter of açaí, with emphasis on the producing regions of Pará, Maranhão, Amapá, Acre, and Rondônia. The consumption and commercialization of this fruit have expanded to major Brazilian capitals and also to countries such as the United States, Japan, and the European Union. In addition to being traditionally consumed as juice, açaí pulp is used in the production of various products, such as wine, ice cream, liqueurs, sweets, and jellies, with all parts of the fruit being fully utilized. This expansion of the açaí market contributes to the promotion of biodiversity in the Amazon Rainforest. The overall objective of this study was to perform physicochemical analyses on samples of açaí pulp consumed in the region of the state of Pará and the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and to demonstrate the differences in consumption between both states. The three samples of açaí from Pará were obtained from local commerce in the city of Castanhal, and the three samples from Rio Grande do Sul were obtained from local commerce in the city of Itaqui. The physicochemical property analyses were conducted at the food processing laboratory of the Federal University of Pampa, Itaqui Campus. Analyses were performed for total solids, total soluble solids, pH, and acidity. The results indicated that total solids, pH, and acidity were within the limits established by legislation, while the soluble solids were not in accordance with the regulations. However, the samples from Rio Grande do Sul exhibited results that correlated with levels of soluble sugars and organic acids in water, such as the presence of the corn glucose raw material.