Desenvolvimento e caracterização de filmes bioativos e bebidas fermentadas obtidos a partir de subprodutos de grãos de sorgo incorporados com cascas de jabuticaba e jambolão.

Abstract

The large territorial extension, combined with Brazil's climatic diversity, explains the country's considerable biodiversity. The number of native and/or exotic plant species of economic and social importance, with nutritious and functional properties, represents only a small portion of those that likely exist. Among the vast biological variety, several species of the Myrtaceae family can be found in various national regions, including the jabuticaba tree and the jambolão. These species contain phenolic compounds in their constitution, such as flavonoids, tannins, and carotenoids, making them highly attractive for various industrial segments, such as food and pharmaceuticals, especially for their antioxidant capacities and colorimetric properties, due to the presence of anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are primarily concentrated in the peels of fruits; however, this constituent fraction is often discarded or underutilized by industry. In the industrial sector, the search for innovation is constant, and the development of packaging that can interact with food while also being biodegradable is an example of current scientific progress. These packages, in the form of films, can be made from polysaccharides, such as starches, and/or other natural substances, such as proteins, lipids, and their mixtures, making them an alternative and economically viable option. In this context, sorghum starch emerges as a significant resource, derived from the fifth most produced cereal in the world, with enormous potential for use in developing countries, particularly as a base polymer for packaging and/or coatings. Additionally, this starch can be obtained through a wet extraction process, which requires the use of water - a fraction often discarded after processing, but which can be repurposed for the preparation of plant-based beverages, a class of products that are exclusively plant-based analogs to existing animal products. The objective of this work was to incorporate jabuticaba and jambolão by-products into the development of biodegradable films and fermented vegetable beverages. Paper spray ionization mass spectrometry was used to identify the compounds present in jabuticaba and jambolão fruits, and 63 compounds were provisionally identified in both positive and negative ionization modes. A central composite rotational design, consisting of 11 trials, was used to determine the optimal conditions for producing films based on sorghum starch and glycerol using the casting method. Films developed with 4% starch and a filmogenic solution temperature of 30°C were selected for the incorporation of extracts from freeze-dried jabuticaba and jambolão peels in varying concentrations (0%, 5%, and 10%). The addition of extracts to the films improved their flexibility, but also increased their thickness, water solubility, and water vapor permeability. Additionally, three vegetable beverages were developed, and it was observed that samples containing freeze-dried peels had longer fermentation times and higher concentrations of proteins and ash.