Extraction and application of ora-pro-nobis (Pereskia aculeata Miller) mucilage in freeze-dried Petit Suisse cheese

Abstract

The mucilages from the leaf (ML) and the fruit in the green maturation stage (MFR) of the ora-pro-nobis (OPN) were used to act as a thickening, stabilizing agent together with a carrageenan mixture (MIX) in different concentrations for production of 14 samples of Petit Suisse cheese. The fresh samples prepared had profiles of texture (firmness, adhesiveness and chewability), syneresis (mL) and viscosity (Pa • s-1) analyzed and then were subjected to the freeze-dryingand evaluated after rehydration process. In addition, the water holding capacity was determined. Textural properties, firmness, adhesiveness and chewability increased (in module) with the ML, MFR and MIX concentrations increased in all treatments and after rehydration these parameters values decreased. Prior to freeze-dryingand after rehydration, the samples exhibited pseudoplastic behavior when subjected to rheological measurements of flow curves. Higher concentration of the ML and MFR mucilages together with the MIX resulted in an increase in the apparent viscosity module and the consistency index. The freshly prepared samples showed apparent viscosity (η1,76) and consistency index (K) slightly higher than the rehydrated formulations. Among the fresh samples (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, and 12) there was no syneresis, whereas for the rehydrated samples, only the samples (3, 5 and 6) did not show syneresis. Drying yields for lyophilized emulsions ranged from 64.89 ± 4.97% to 72.91 ± 2.26%. The infrared spectra showed differences between ML and MFR even with similar peaks due to the characteristics of the the hydrocolloids. This study demonstrated that both ML and MFR showed good interaction with the mix of carrageenans in the freeze-dried Petit Suisse cheese. Due to the interaction of arabinogalactan present in the ML withthe Petit Suisse structure, the sample with 1.5% ML + 1% MIX showed better results (fresh and rehydrated), as it presented high viscosity and WAC and did not show syneresis.