THE EFFECT OF PASTEURIZATION ON THE QUALITY OF FROZEN ARAZA (EUGENIA STIPITATA MC VAUGH) PULP

The effects of pasteurization on the quality of frozen araza pulp were investigated. Araza pulp was pasteurized at 65, 73, and 80C before being placed in frozen storage at -20C for a period of 60 days. After pasteurization (day 0 of frozen storage), no changes in color, aroma, or texture were observed; nevertheless, taste, vitamin C, and antioxidant activity (AA) were negatively affected. After 60 days of frozen storage, a decrease in the AA and a decrease in both vitamin C and phenolic levels were observed, with the exception of the unpasteurized pulp, for which there were no differences in the AA-ferric reducing antioxidant power and phenolics before and after the 60 days of frozen storage. No correlation was found between phenolics and AA, which could be due to differential changes in the phenolics composition that were not measured in this work. The decimal reduction time in days of vitamin C was 92, 89, 112, and 176 for the control and the pasteurized pulps (at 65, 73, and 80C), respectively. Pasteurization at 80C before freezing at -20C could be a successful technique to extend the shelf life of araza pulp.