Development of a shelling method to recover whole kernels of the cutia nut (Couepia edulis)

The kernel of the cutia nut (castanha-de-cutia, Couepia edulis (Prance) Prance) of the western Amazon, which is consumed by the local population, has traditionally been extracted from the nut with a machete, a dangerous procedure that only produces kernels cut in half. A shelling off machine prototype, which produces whole kernels without serious risks to its operator, is described and tested. The machine makes a circular cut in the central part of the fruit shell, perpendicular to its main axis. Three ways of conditioning the fruits before cutting were compared: (1) control; (2) oven drying immediately prior to cutting; (3) oven drying, followed by a 24-hour interval before cutting. The time needed to extract and separate the kernel from the endocarp and testa was measured. Treatment 3 produced the highest output: 63 kernels per hour, the highest percentage of whole kernels (90%), and the best kernel taste. Kernel extraction with treatment 3 required 50% less time than treatment 1, while treatment 2 needed 38% less time than treatment 1. The proportion of kernels attached to the testa was 93%, 47%, and 8% for treatments 1, 2, and 3, respectively, and was the main reason for extraction time differences

Physical and mechanical properties in shelling Brazilian nut

[POR] A castanha-do-Brasil, fruto da castanheira (bertholletia excelsa), produz uma estrutura globosa chamada de ouriço, de parede espessa e coloração castanho-escura possuindo no seu interior as sementes ou castanhas. As castanhas possuem casca resistente de morfologia característica. A obtenção da amêndoa, parte comestível e de valor econômico, é feita através do rompimento da castanha realizado manualmente e de forma pouco eficiente. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar algumas propriedades físicas e mecánicas da castanha-do-brasil para conhecer melhor o produto e reconhecer princípios que permitam a abertura da castanha com obtenção de maior número de amêndoas inteiras. Foram medidos os valores da força de ruptura e deformação correspondentes, em duas direções perpendiculares, utilizando-se ensaio clássico de compressão entre pratos planos rígidos e paralelos. Para explorar as características viscoelásticas da casca foram realizados ensaios de compressão, com altas taxas de deformação e deformação limitada. Determinou-se também a curva de secagem das castanhas utilizando-se secador de ar com fluxo contínuo. Para uma taxa de deformação de 1 mm/s, valores médios de 1035,4 N e 8,85 % foram obtidos para a força máxima e deformação específica, respectivamente, na direção longitudinal. O coeficiente de variação obtido para os valores da força máxima foram de 38%, indicando grande variabilidade no produto. Observou-se uma tendência da ruptura da casca se iniciar na união carpelar próximo à inserção do pedúnculo e se propagar para a região apical da castanha. A direção transversal, nas mesmas condições de ensaio, não se mostrou adequada para a decorticação por compressão, pois foi sempre acompanhada de grande deformação e ruptura na amêndoa. Foram necessárias 6 horas para reduzir 7% a umidade inicial da castanha (10,5% bu) utilizando-se ar aquecido a 60 oC e velocidade média de 9,5m/s. Na compressão longitudinal com taxa de deformação de 4,18m/s, deformação específica limitada de 8%, observou-se melhor desempenho na liberação de amêndoas inteiras com a redução da umidade. Esse resultado sugere fortemente um condicionamento da casca antes da decorticação. [ENG] Brazilian nut is the true fruit of the nut-tree (bertholletia excelsa) wich produces a dark-brown thick-walled round structure that contains the seeds or kernels. The nuts have a resistent shell. Shelling is performed by hand to release the kernel, the edible part with great economical value, in an inefficient way. This work aimed to determine some physical and mechanical properties of the nut in order to provide insights for future developments of efficient shellers. Measurements of force and deformation at rupture, in the longitudinal and transversal direction, were performed by compresssing the nut between two parallel, rigid and flat plates, using a universal testing machine. Viscoelastic characteristics of the shell were investigated using high deformation rates and a limited deformation. Drying curves were also determined for a thin-layer bed of nuts using heated air in a continuous flow drier. Average values of 1035,4 N and 8,85% corresponding to the maximum force and specific deformation, respectively, were found in the longitudinal direction after compression at 1 mm/s deformation rate. The value of variation coeficient for maximum force was 38%, indicating high variability among the mechanical properties of nuts. The cracking of the shell usually initiated in the carpellar union edge near the peduncular insertion and tended to propagate toward the apical region of the nut. Compression along the transverse direction of the nut did show to be adequate for shelling since high values of deformation occur at máximum force, damaging the kernel. It took 6 hours to reduce the inicial moisture content of 10,5% (wb) to 7% using heated air at 60 oC and average velocity of 9,5 m/s. Longitudinal compression at high deformation rates (4,18m/s) and a limited deformation (8%) using those partially dried nuts, showed better performance in cracking the shell and liberating whole kernels. This result strongly suggests that drying of the nuts should be performed prior to shelling

Total anthocyanin content determination in intact açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and palmitero-juçara (Euterpe edulis Mart.) fruit using near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) and multivariate calibration

AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIR), and multivariate calibration potential as a rapid method to determinate anthocyanin content in intact fruit (açaí and palmitero-juçara). Several multivariate calibration techniques, including partial least squares (PLS), interval partial least squares, genetic algorithm, successive projections algorithm, and net analyte signal were compared and validated by establishing figures of merit. Suitable results were obtained with the PLS model (four latent variables and 5-point smoothing) with a detection limit of 6.2gkg−1, limit of quantification of 20.7gkg−1, accuracy estimated as root mean square error of prediction of 4.8gkg−1, mean selectivity of 0.79gkg−1, sensitivity of 5.04×10−3gkg−1, precision of 27.8gkg−1, and signal-to-noise ratio of 1.04×10−3gkg−1. These results suggest NIR spectroscopy and multivariate calibration can be effectively used to determine anthocyanin content in intact açaí and palmitero-juçara fruit

Effects of heat treatment and storage temperature on the use of açaí drink by nutraceutical and beverage industries Efeito do tratamento térmico e da temperatura de armazenamento na aplicação da bebida de açaí pelas indústrias nutraceuticas e de bebidas

This study assesses the storage temperature effect on the anthocyanins of pasteurized and unpasteurized açaí pulp. The data was obtained using a pasteurized and lyophilized pulp (PLP) to evaluate the temperature effect (0, 25, and 40 °C). Part of non-pasteurized frozen pulp (NPP) was pasteurized (NPP-P) at 90 °C for 30 seconds; both pulps were stored at 40 °C. The anthocyanin content reduction in the drink was evaluated from the half-life time (t1/2), activation energy (Ea), temperature quotient (Q10), and the reaction rate constant (k). The t1/2 of the PLP anthocyanins stored at 40 °C was 1.8 times less than that stored at 25 °C and 15 times less than that stored at 0 °C; therefore, the higher temperatures decreased the stability of anthocyanins. The pasteurization increased the t1/2 by 6.6 times (10.14 hours for NPP and 67.28 hours for NPP-P). The anthocyanin degradation on NPP-P followed a first order kinetic, while NPP followed a second order kinetic; thus it can be said that the pasteurization process can improve the preservation of anthocyanins in the pulp.Este trabalho avaliou o efeito da temperatura de armazenamento nas antocianinas de polpas de açaí pasteurizadas e não pasteurizadas. Para avaliar o efeito da temperatura (0, 25 e 40 °C), os dados foram obtidos usando a polpa pasteurizada e liofilizada (PLP). Uma parte da polpa não pasteurizada e congelada (NPP) foi pasteurizada (NPP-P) a 90 °C por 30 segundos e ambas foram armazenadas a 40 °C. A redução das antocianinas totais na bebida foi avaliada pelo tempo de meia-vida (t1/2), energia de ativação (Ea), quociente de temperatura (Q10) e constante de velocidade da reação (k). O t1/2 das antocianinas da PLP armazenada a 40 °C é 1,8 vezes menor que da armazenada 25 °C e 15 vezes menor que a 0 °C, portanto quanto maior a temperatura menor a estabilidade das antocianinas. A pasteurização aumentou t1/2 6,6 vezes (10.14 horas para NPP e 67.28 horas para NPP-P).A degradação das antocianinas na NPP-P seguiu uma cinética de primeira ordem, enquanto NPP seguiu a cinética de segunda ordem, portanto o processo de pasteurização pode aumentar a preservação das antocianinas

Effects of heat treatment and storage temperature on the use of açaí drink by nutraceutical and beverage industries

This study assesses the storage temperature effect on the anthocyanins of pasteurized and unpasteurized açaí pulp. The data was obtained using a pasteurized and lyophilized pulp (PLP) to evaluate the temperature effect (0, 25, and 40 °C). Part of non-pasteurized frozen pulp (NPP) was pasteurized (NPP-P) at 90 °C for 30 seconds; both pulps were stored at 40 °C. The anthocyanin content reduction in the drink was evaluated from the half-life time (t1/2), activation energy (Ea), temperature quotient (Q10), and the reaction rate constant (k). The t1/2 of the PLP anthocyanins stored at 40 °C was 1.8 times less than that stored at 25 °C and 15 times less than that stored at 0 °C; therefore, the higher temperatures decreased the stability of anthocyanins. The pasteurization increased the t1/2 by 6.6 times (10.14 hours for NPP and 67.28 hours for NPP-P). The anthocyanin degradation on NPP-P followed a first order kinetic, while NPP followed a second order kinetic; thus it can be said that the pasteurization process can improve the preservation of anthocyanins in the pulp

Effect of temperature and storage on açaí (

Introduction. Açaí is a common palm in the Amazon River basin, from which a much-appreciated drink is prepared in the North of Brazil. Despite the strong increase in the drink market, some basic questions about the fruit postharvest physiology have not been properly studied. Our paper presents results about the fruit water absorption at different temperatures and times of storage, which may help the development of more efficient procedures for fruit transport and processing. Materials and methods. The experiments began approximately 3 h after harvest of fruits collected early in the morning. In a first experiment, to evaluate the effect of temperature on water absorption, fruits were submitted to five treatments: 0 °C, 6 °C, 12 °C, 26 °C and 39 °C. Each treatment was applied to 50 fruits, with four repetitions. Fruits from each lot were put into a beaker with water at the temperature of the selected treatment. Lots were weighed before immersion and every 10 min up to 60 min. The fruit relative increase in mass (dMasserel) was calculated according to experiment time. In a second experiment, to evaluate the effect of storage, fruits collected at the same spot were immediately stored in the lab at 10 °C under relative air humidity of 81% to 87%. After (5, 6 and 7) days of storage, the dMasserel curves were determined. Results and discussion. Between 0 °C and 26 °C, the absorption reaches an asymptote after 30 min, and at 39 °C, the absorption continues to increase for a longer period. The maximum (dMasserel) regarding the temperature was fitted by a parabole, with a minimum at 13 °C. Fruits stored at 10 °C presented an increase in the absorption rate after the fifth day. Conclusion. Our data suggest that: (i) water absorption is minimum at 13 °C; (ii) the imbibition rate is temperature-related, and (iii) fruit stored at 10 °C, and relative humidity 81% to 87%, increases its water absorption rate at the end of the shelf-life time (5th day)