Abstract Juçara fruit (Euterpe edulis Martius) is rich in nutrients and antioxidant compounds, a potential ingredient to meet consumer demands for beers with bioactive potential. In this study, different concentrations (10, 20, and 40%) of juçara fruit pulp were added during the brewing steps (mash, fermentation, and maturation). Physicochemical parameters (carbohydrate profile, real extract, pH, alcohol content, glycerol, and color), total phenolic content, and scavenging effect on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrilhidrazil (DPPH) radical were evaluated during the brewing process and in the beers produced. The sugars, real extract, pH, ethanol, and glycerol did not vary significantly between beers produced with different juçara concentrations. Juçara beers had an average alcohol content of 3.6% (w/v) and a pH of 4.43. The color varied between 3.2 and 16 Standard Reference Method depending on the fruit pulp concentration and the step in which it was added. The addition of juçara fruit pulp increased the total phenolic content (49.57-80.17 mg of gallic acid equivalent 100 mL-1) and the antioxidant effect on DPPH (1785-3971 mmol ascorbic acid equivalent 100 mL-1) in the beers, especially when added in the final production stages. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the beer produced with 20% of juçara fruit pulp added at maturation presented the best results and suggested that this fruit has enormous potential for use in the brewing process, promoting an increase in the bioactive compounds.

Abstract The objective of this study was to develop films with reduced hygroscopicity and improved mechanical properties from acetylated cassava starch. For that, an acetylation procedure using acetic anhydride as the esterification reagent was performed, resulting in starch acetates with degrees of substitution (DS) of 0.6 (S0.6) and 1.1 (S1.1). Twelve films formulations were studied: native cassava starch (S), starch acetate S0.6 and S1.1, with two glycerol concentrations (0.25 g.100 g-1 (25) and 0.30 g.100 g-1 (30)). The films were conditioned at the relative humidities (RH) of 58% and 75% for 96 h before characterization. Water vapor permeability, water solubility, water sorption isotherms, microstructural analyses, and mechanical properties in different relative humidity and different glycerol concentration were performed. Starch acetate films (S1.1) resulted in lower water vapor permeability (2.35 ± 0.26 × 10-7g/m.s.Pa) and water solubility (21.2 ± 0.16 g.100 g-1) than native starch films (3.79 ± 0.26 × 10-7 g/m.s.Pa and 25.46 ± 0.12 g.100 g-1). S0.6 films showed higher tensile strength (8.42 ± 0.84 MPa) than S1.1 films (6.93 ± 0.55 MPa). The results indicated that acetylated starch can be used to produce films with improved mechanical properties, with less water solubility and permeability to water vapor, especially when starch acetate with 0.6 DS and low glycerol concentration are used. Chemical compounds used in this article: Starch, acetate (PubChem CID: 24832118); Acetic acid (PubChem CID: 176); Acetic anhydride (PubChem CID: 7918); Sulfuric acid (PubChem CID: 1118); Glycerol (PubChem CID: 753).

Abstract Chopped mussel meat packaged in retort pouches was processed in a laboratory-scale water immersion retort, adapted for processing under overpressure conditions. Retort temperature effects on product yield and on cook value were evaluated by setting the F0 at 7 min. The effects of different pre-treatments (salting and marination) on the characteristics of mussels were evaluated after processing at retort temperature of 118 °C and during a whole year of storage at 25 °C. The salted samples showed better yield during storage, while no differences were found for the other physicochemical parameters.