Sensory and quality assessment of processed raisins from three cultivars produced in the semiarid region of Brazil

Abstract

In the semiarid region of Brazil, viticulture has been expressively highlighted due to its capacity to allow the plants to produce significantly throughout the year. Dehydration is an efficient alternative for fruit preservation, the process being easy to apply, extending the shelf life and aggregating value to the product. It is therefore necessary to study the grape cultivars produced in the region for the production of raisins, observing the possibility of obtaining a product acceptable on the market. Thus the objective of this work was to evaluate the physical, chemical and sensory characteristics of raisins produced from ?Vitória', ?Niágara Branca' and ?Benitaka' grapes in the semiarid region of Brazil. The experiment was carried out in the Technology Laboratory for the Processing of Vegetable Origin Products of the State University of Montes Claros, Campus Janaúba-MG, Brazil. The experimental design was completely randomized, with three treatments (three grape cultivars: Vitória, Benitaka and Niágara Branca) and seven replicates (each replicate composed of three bunches of grapes). The raisins were evaluated for their moisture contents, yield, pH, soluble solids, titratable acidity and sensory acceptance. The product processed from ?Niagara Branca' presented the highest processing yield, while that from ?Vitoria' showed the highest pH value. The Benitaka cultivar stood out for presenting a product with a lower moisture content, higher soluble solids content and higher titratable acidity. As for the sensory aspects, the raisins from the Vitória and Benitaka cultivars were accepted by consumers for all the attributes studied. The product obtained from the Niágara Branca cultivar was rejected by the consumers.