INFLUÊNCIA DE DIFERENTES INTERVALOS DE PROCESSAMENTO DE MULHO-DOCE NAS CARACTERÍSTICAS QUALITATIVAS E QUANTITATIVAS

Abstract

Classified as special corn, sweet corn (Zea mays saccharata) is destined exclusively for human consumption, under two forms, fresh (in natura) or processed. While in field, corn the sugar concentration is about 3%, in sweet corn this concentration varies from 14% to 25%, and the highest levels found in cultivars are known as super sweet. Due to its high perishability, it is recommended that the time interval be the minimum possible between harvest and the beginning of the processing to preserve its quantitative and qualitative characteristics. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the behavior of sweet corn in relation to the qualitative and quantitative characteristics, when its ears are processed at different time intervals after harvest. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design with five replicates. The sample fresh mass of the corn cobs with straw, corn cobs without straw, only cob, only grains from the debarking process, as well as the industrial yield and the rate of filling of cans achieved were measured. The grain moisture content, percentage of soluble solids, titratable acidity and total soluble and reducing sugar concentration were also registered. During post-harvest storage and pre-processing periods of sweet corn cobs, no quantitative gains or losses were recorded. A decrease in the soluble solids concentration in the sucrose solution of the sweet corn broth was observed, indicating that consumption of the soluble compounds possibly occurred by the respiratory process.