Produção e caracterização de fermentados alcoólicos a partir de caldos de cana mistos com ervas aromáticas

Abstract

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is a vegetable that, despite having its Asian origin, had its cultivation widely developed in the Brazilian northeast, mainly due to the climatic conditions that allow from germination to maturation with the accumulation of sucrose. Thus, it is widely used in the production of fuel ethanol and in some alcoholic fermented beverages, such as wines and spirits, products of yeast fermentation. In food production, aromatic herbs, such as basil and mint, are used because they enhance the flavor and aroma of preparations, and also because they provide numerous health benefits due to the active substances and phenolic compounds present. In order to take advantage of the various benefits of these herbs, being inserted in one of the drinks of greater national consumption, two fermented products were obtained, with production in the laboratory, being carried out the physical-chemical characterization of the musts and drinks, and sensorial evaluation of the alcoholic fermented products of mixed broths with herbs, one with basil (Ocimum basilicum L), and another with peppermint (Mentha piperita L). The raw materials were characterized by moisture, proteins, lipids and fixed mineral residue. The fermentation was followed with the removal of aliquots every 3 to 4 hours, with two feedings, one with 48 hours and the other with 96 hours since the addition of the yeast, being extended up to 160 hours. The drinks had a final alcohol content of 8.4% ±0.2 and 8.3% ±0.1, final pH of 3.30 ±0.05 and 3.34 ±0.02, total acidity of 58.9 ±0.2 and 60.7 ±0.4 meq/L, residual brix of 4.40 ±0.02 and 5.60 ±0.05, and residual total reducing sugars of 51.37 ±0.12 and 68 .84 ±0.19 g/L, for the sugarcane fermented beverage with basil and sugarcane fermented beverage with peppermint, respectively. The drinks remained within the criteria proposed by the legislation and both were well accepted by the group of untrained tasters, in which in the general assessment, the highest percentage of people reported that they would drink them occasionally.