Relação entre o comportamento reológico e a dinâmica do congelamento e descongelamento de polpa de morango adicionada de sacarose e pectina

Abstract

The physicochemical and rheological properties of strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) pulps with the addition of sucrose (0; 2.91; 10.0; 17.09; 20% weight/weight) and pectin (0; 0.15; 0.50; 0.85; 10% weight/ weight) were characterized. The relationship in rheology, freezing and thawing dynamics and the ice crystal microstructures were established. The characterizations were performed before and after the freezing/thawing process. The samples were frozen in a water-bath at –20 °C, in a stainless steel recipient with a thermal insulation at the bottom to establish the radial heat flow in an infinite cylinder. The ice fractions were calculated using mathematical equations and the polarized concentrations were evaluated at every 60 minutes. The thawing process was assessed by the relationship between time and surface area growing with the thawing process at 19 °C. The strawberry pulp was a pseudoplastic fluid. The pulps showed a sucrose and pectin synergic effect in acid environment and this fact confirmed the variation in the viscosity, thawing rate and freezing front velocity. The thawing process of the strawberries was faster for the higher concentrated samples. The microstructure of strawberry pulps was influenced by the factors studied, increasing the freezing front velocity on the most concentrated samples.