Avaliação Reológica dos Pós Reconstituídos de Polpa de Manga Obtidos da Secagem em Leito de Espuma

Abstract

Mango is one of the most important fruits due to its sensory and nutritional characteristics, and can be consumed in its natural form, as well as in pulp and powder form. However, in the latter case, the use of additives or high temperatures in its processing alters its characteristics. Foam-mat drying allows for less loss of these characteristics, due to the use of lower temperatures. The powder resulting from this process is used in the industry to formulate juices, sweets, among other foodstuffs. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the rheology of mango pulp nectar reconstituted with powder, in different formulations (2 to 10%, m/v). A viscometer was used for the analysis, after drying the pulp at 60°C. An adequate fit to the Power Law model was observed with the experimental rheological data, with an R2 above 0.98. After performing the analysis of the rheological behavior, a pseudoplastic fluid behavior was showed for all formulations of the reconstituted beverage. This indicates that the practice of foam-mat drying is feasible to maintain the rheological properties of mango pulp.