Qualidade pós-colheita e processamento mínimo de brotos de palma Opuntia ficus-indica Mill

Minimal processing of palm sprouts for human consumption may be a promising alternative for the socio-economic development in the semiarid regions of Brazilian Northeast. Thus, the aim of this work was to verify postharvest quality and develop an operational flowchart for the minimal processing of palm shoots, adding value to final product. The cladodes were produced in the experimental area of the Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia Agroalimentar - CCTA, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande - UFCG, Campus Pombal, Pombal-PB in irrigated and rainfed crop, irrigated cladodes received on average 7.8 liters of water within 30 days in production of 0 irrigated water depth was used. After harvest, the shoots were conducted at the laboratory of Food Analysis, Campus Pombal, and subjected to minimal processing: selection, removing thorns, cut into slices, 5 mm thick, and sanitizing rinse, 10 minutes with 200 and 5mg L- 1 free chlorine (Sumaveg ®) , respectively; drain up to 20 minutes; packaging in polystyrene trays with PVC, and storage at 4 ± 0.5°C under 65 ± 5% RH for 8 days. The highest values of soluble solids were identified for the shoots produced in whole form and rainfed. The vitamin C had a variation with time of storage, the contents of AT had a little extra time varying conditions. The largest accumulation of fresh mass was in whole and irrigated palm reaching 9.6%. The highest values of pH were found on the fourth day of preservation that ranged around 3.5. Minimal processing was shown to be a viable for commercialization of palm bud alternative, as there were no changes in the prompt of view of postharvest quality. O processamento mínimo de broto de palma para o consumo humano pode ser uma alternativa promissora para o desenvolvimento sócio-econômico das regiões semiáridas do Nordeste Brasileiro. Desse modo, o objetivo do trabalho consistiu em verificar a qualidade pós-colheita e elaborar um fluxograma operacional para o processamento mínimo de brotos de palma, com agregação de valor ao produto final. Os cladódios foram produzidos em área experimental do Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia Agroalimentar – CCTA, da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande – UFCG, Câmpus de Pombal, Pombal-PB em cultivo de sequeiro e irrigada, cladódios irrigados receberam em média 7,8 litros de água no período de 30 dias, na produção de sequeiro foi utilizada lâmina de irrigação 0. Após a colheita, os brotos foram conduzidos ao laboratório de Análise de Alimentos do CCTA/UFCG,