Efecto térmico sobre la calidad de la pulpa de cocona (Solanum sessiliflorum)

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the thermal effect on the quality of cocona pulp (Solanum sessiliflorum) by using different temperatures (75, 85, 95°C) and blanching times (5, 10, and 15 minutes). This research comprised a completely randomized design (CRD) with a 3*3 factorial arrangement resulting in nine treatments with three replications. Descriptive statistics were necessary to examine the collected data from several analyses performed on the cocona fruit. The analysis of variance included physicochemical variables (yield, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, colorimetry, moisture, ash, fat, fiber, and Nitrogen-Free Extract) and microbiological variables (molds and yeasts, mesophilic aerobes, coliforms, and Escherichia coli) of the cocona pulp. Mean separation was carried out using the Tukey test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to sensory variables. Highly significant differences (P<0.01) were observed in all the thermal treatments, determining that blanching temperature and time had a significant effect on the physicochemical composition of cocona pulp. The microbiological analysis complied with the requirements specified in NTE INEN 2337:2008 regulations. During the storage period, it was possible to identify a decrease in pH and an increase in acidity. For the sensory analysis, a 5-point hedonic scale test was essential to measure the acceptability of cocona pulp and cocona drink. This analysis involved 80 panelists consumers of fruits and took place on days 15 and 30 of storage. The treatment with the highest acceptability was blanching at 95°C for 15 minutes, receiving a score of "I like it" (4 points). It is recommended to promote the cultivation, production, and industrialization of cocona to harness its agro-industrial potential, benefiting both producers and the local economy.