QUANTIFICAÇÃO DE NITROGÊNIO TOTAL E PROTEÍNA BRUTA DOS RAMOS E FOLHAS DE ORA-PRO-NÓBIS (Pereskia aculeata Miller) SUBMETIDOS A DIFERENTES TEMPERATURAS DE SECAGEM

Abstract

The ora-pro-nobis also known as "poor meat", due to its high protein content, is a climbing plant, which has fleshy leaves and huge thorns in its branches. It is a plant used as an alternative both in human food and animal feed because it has several benefits, in addition to protein, vitamins and iron. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of drying temperature of leaves and branches on protein and total nitrogen content. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme (two vegetative structures – leaves and branches and two drying temperature - 25 and 65°C). After drying, the material was crushed and submitted to the Kjeldahl method to obtain indirectly the percentage of total nitrogen and directly from the percentage of crude protein. In the leaves, the average total nitrogen was 3.94 (25°C), 4.34 (35°C) and 4.30 (65°C), and crude protein values were 24.635 (25°C), 27.135 (35°C) and 26.94 (65°C). In the branches, the percentage of total nitrogen was 1.75 (25°C), 0.335 (35°C), 1.91 (65°C), and the crude protein of the branches was 10.965 (25°C), 2.1 (35°C) and 11.93 (65°C). It was verified that the total nitrogen and crude protein contents varied according to temperature and that in the leaves are found the highest levels compared to the branches. From the results obtained it can be concluded that the temperature of 35°C is the most indicated for leaf dehydration and 65°C for the branches.