Aproveitamento da polpa de coco verde para produção de gelado comestível

Abstract

The rise on demand for natural and healthy food and attention to food intolerance has been changing the needs of the current consumer market. Given this scenario, the consumption of coconut water is becoming increasingly popular, due to its various nutritional benefits, promoting a significant increase in the beverage production. However, in its production process, the green coconut pulp, which it's a valuable component that can be used, is discarded in large quantities. Under these circumstances, this study proposes the use of green coconut pulp in the production of an edible ice cream without the addition of animal components. The substitution of regular milk for green coconut pulp, Besides the fact of being attractive to consumers intolerant of dairy components, contributes to reducing the volume of solid waste resulting from the extraction of coconut water and allows an opportunity of profit to entrepreneurs through a new production process for the emergence of innovative commercial products with special nutritional characteristics based on vegetables that can meet with advantages the conventional ones elaborated with animal protein. Therefore, physical and chemical characterization analyzes of the green coconut pulp, such as pH, acidity, soluble solids, total solids, moisture, density, water activity tests. Two formulations of chocolate ice-cream were developed using fresh green coconut pulp as a substitute for cow's milk and green powdered coconut pulp as substitute for milk powder. Sensory analysis of the ice cream was carried out as well as determination of the calorific value of the final products. The formulations obtained good acceptance and were also interesting from the environmental and nutritional point of view, cost and low sugar content. Because they have functional properties beneficial to health, which represents a great advantage compared to several brands available in the market, the production of products based on green coconut pulp proved to be viable and with great potential for commercialization.