Caracterização física, química e microbiológica de morango, alface e cenoura orgânicos

Abstract

This work was carried out with the objective to characterize physical, chemical and microbiologically organic strawberry, lettuce and carrot, stored under room temperature and refrigerated, submitted or not to sanitization process with peracetic acid, at concentrations of 25, 50, 75 and 100μL. L-1 and sodium hypochlorite 50μL.L-1. Physical, chemical (pH, titratable acidity - TA, soluble solids - SS, ratio SS/TA, firmness and color) and microbiological (thermotolerant coliforms, Salmonella sp., Filamentous fungi and yeasts and psychrotrophic aerobic microorganisms) analysis were performed on the samples, immediately after harvest, after three days of storage under room temperature and refrigeration (6°C), and after six days of storage under refrigeration (6o C). Changes in a* and b*, firmness, pH and SS/AT of strawberry, soluble solids, SS/AT of lettuce and a*, b* variables of carrot were due to natural physiological processes such as senescence of products. The soluble solids of strawberries were influenced by sanitizer. It was found a significant interaction of sanitizers with the storage time to pH of lettuce and titratable acidity of carrot store at room temperature; under refrigeration, it was observed interaction between the studied factors to soluble solids and pH of strawberry and lettuce, respectively. Variations observed on L *, pH and SS/AT of strawberry, color, soluble solids and SS/AT on lettuce and on the firmness of were associated to senescence of products. It was verified, in the microbiological testing, absence of Salmonella sp., in spite of the product analyzed. The presence of thermotolerant coliforms and psychrotrophic aerobic microorganisms on the samples of strawberry at both temperatures was not observed; the process of sanitization with 100μL.L-1 was the most efficient in the control of filamentous fungi and yeasts and microorganisms aerobic psychrotrophic on the products, during the studied period at both temperatures. A testimony sample of lettuce was improper for consumption.