Secagem em leito de espuma em polpa de Pequi (Caryocar brasiliense)

The Cerrado has a great diversity of fruits, with the pequi standing out. Although it is widely consumed, one of the biggest obstacles is its storage. Foam-bed drying consists of converting food into a stable foam by adding foaming agents before drying. The aim of this study was to carry out foam-bed drying of pequi pulp with Emustab® and Albumin in different concentrations and to assess the stability of its bioactive compounds during storage. To produce the foam, the foaming agent Emustab® and Albumin were used in concentrations of 2.5%, 5% and 10%. These were then placed in a dryer at 60°C for 12 hours. In order to check the stability of the flours, phenolic compounds, carotenoids and vitamin C were analyzed at 0, 15, 30 and 60 days of storage at room temperature. Foam-bed drying showed advantages in preserving the bioactive compounds, with Emustab® standing out. It was found that 5% EMS showed the best results for vitamin C and β-carotene content, and 2.5% EMS for phenolic compounds.