ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BURITI PULP (Mauritia flexuosa) COLLECTED IN THE CITY OF DIAMANTINO – MTS1

ABSTRACT Buriti is a fruit with potential for economic exploitation due to its nutritional components; however, there are few studies about their post-harvest characteristics. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical characteristics and analyze the antioxidant activity of Buriti pulp. Fruits were harvested at full maturity stage, sanitized, pulped and stored under refrigeration until freezing. Then, pulp was submitted to the following analyses: moisture, protein, total carbohydrates and reducing carbohydrates, ashes, lipids, crude fiber, water activity, titratable acidity (TA), pH, color, ß-carotene, a-carotene, antioxidant activity and total energy value (TEV). Analyses were performed in triplicate, and the mean, standard deviation and variation coefficient were determined. Fruit pulp presented 0.98 of water activity, TA of 8.82g/100 g of citric acid, pH 3.78, 59.69% of moisture, 20.92% of fat, 8.56 % of crude fiber, 1.04% of ash, 7.28% of total carbohydrates, 4.50% of reducing carbohydrates, 9098µg/100g of ß carotene and 10086µg/100g of a-carotene. TEV found was 228.28 kcal/100g, the color analysis showed that the pulp has an average light tint value of L * = 59.69, with high hue H * = 68.36 and vivid color with C *= 62.03. Regarding the antioxidant activity, it was observed that Buriti is a fruit that can be used to combat oxidation, as it reduced by 82.42% the amount DPPH reagent used. RESUMO O Buriti é um fruto com potencial para exploração econômica, devido aos seus componentes nutricionais; no entanto, poucas são as pesquisas quanto a suas características pós-colheita. Sendo assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar as características físicas e químicas e analisar a atividade antioxidante da polpa de buriti. Os frutos foram colhidos em completo estádio de maturação, sanitizados, despolpados e armazenados sob refrigeração até o congelamento. Em seguida a polpa foi submetida às análises de umidade, proteína, glicídios totais e redutores, cinzas, lipídios, fibra bruta, atividade de água, acidez titulável (AT), pH, cor, ß caroteno, a caroteno, atividade antioxidante e valor energético total (VET). As análises foram realizadas em triplicata, sendo determinadas a média, desvio-padrão e o coeficiente de variação. A polpa da fruta apresentou valores de 0,98 para atividade de água, AT de 8,82 g/100g de ácido cítrico, pH de 3,78, 59,69% para umidade, 20,92% de lipídios, 8,56% de fibra bruta, 1,04% de cinzas, 7,28% de glicídios to