Effect of thermal treatment on physical stability of Cashew nut beverage

Abstract

The physical stability of vegetable beverages is a major problem in the food industry, being influenced by the nature of the raw material, beverage composition and processing conditions. The use of heat favors the microbiological quality and extension of the shelf life, however it affects can affect the sensory and nutritional properties of foods. The objective of this work is to evaluate the effect of different heat treatment conditions on the physical stability of cashew nut beverage. The production of the drink basically consists of crushing the cashew nut with water in the proportion of 1: 8 (cashew nut: water) followed by filtration, in order to obtain a homogeneous emulsion, with an appearance similar to bovine milk. To determine the best time and temperature binomial, an experiment in a 5x4 factorial design (2, 5, 10, 20 and 30 minutes; 65 ºC, 70 ºC, 75 ºC and 80 ºC) was installed. The effects of heat treatments on the physical stability of the beverage were evaluated through the analysis of particle size obtained through an image processing program, sedimentation in a centrifuge (% w / w) and observation of visual changes. The treatments at 70 ºC, especially for 30 minutes of heating, showed a lower average diameter (between 0.64 to 2.32 µm) and greater homogeneity in relation to the particle size distribution, in line with lower sedimentation percentages. The knowledge of these conditions can assist in dimensioning and conducting processes in agroindustrial enterprises.