Araça Pera (Psidium acutangulum D.C., Myrtaceae) is a native plant from the Amazon region. The fruit is very pulpy (yields 75.67% after peeling and seedling), has a delicate, pleasant flavor, a peel like fine leather, which has to be taken off for it is bitter. It presents excessive acid content to be pleasant when eaten raw (pH 2.77; free acidity 2.67% citric acid), has a good amount of vitamin C (60.98 mg/100g), dietary fiber (9.6%), The objective of this study was to develop a formulation and technique for fruit processing by small producers in the region. Three formulations were tested using techniques of sensory analysis; in two formulations, the excess of acid was buffered with sodium citrate, equivalent to 65% (Formulation B) and 40% (Formulation C) of the amount of free acid present in the fruit, and commercial pectin (1.5%) was added to speed the cooking process. For formulation A, a fruit very common in the region and relatively inexpensive (chayote -7% of total ingredients) was chosen to buffer the acidity, and no pectin was needed. The ingredients simmered for 5 minute after temperature stabilized, and were poured into sterilized bottles, yielding 77.3% of jam, with a pH and free acidity of A-3.1/ 1.16; B-3.57/1.62; C-3.36/1.70. Physico-chemical, microbiological and sensorial analyses were performed showing good performance of the jams, easily reproducible by small producers.
Psidium acutangulum; araça pera; jam; preserve; new product development
