AVALIAÇÃO DOS EFEITOS DO PROCESSAMENTO SOBRE O POTENCIAL ANTIOXIDANTE DE NOVOS PRODUTOS

Everyone is aware of the importance of food with antioxidant properties due to the constant exposure of the population to factors that contribute towards the development of free radicals and which increase the development of chronic disease worldwide. The products mentioned in current analysis, based on pequi, acai and mushrooms, aim at high antioxidant rates with original sensorial characteristics. Current analysis surveys the types of processes which a type of food undergoes for the preservation of its antioxidant rates for consumption. A bibliographical survey was undertaken on cooking methods for products developed by the Laboratory for Dietetic Technique of the PUC, Belo Horizonte MG Brazil. The cooking method (the greatest interfering factor due to humid heat) and time in which the foods are exposed at high temperatures greatly affect their antioxidant rates. Methods without humid heat and/or those least exposed to time/temperature are the most viable and thus recommended for the preservation of antioxidant compounds. Lyophilization is the best conservation method for nutrition factors.