Physico-chemical characteristics of passion fruit flour under removal of flavedo and of maceration

ABSTRACT Passion fruit has the peel (albedo and flavedo) as its major component and it can be used in the production of flour as source of nutrients and enrichment of food products. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the production of flours from passion fruit albedo and whole peel, verifying the influences of flavedo removal and maceration, as well as the variation in drying temperature (70 and 80 °C) on the physical and chemical characteristics of the flours. The flours has a light color with slight trend to red and stronger trend to yellow. Moisture content is within the limits established by the current norms of ANVISA (a maximum of 15%). The flavedo removal contributed to the increase of water, crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber concentrations. However, it reduced moisture, ash, protein, lipids and carbohydrates concentrations. On the other hand, the maceration decreases luminosity, lipids and carbohydrates and increases the chromaticity a* and b* and moisture in the flours. In relation to the increase in temperature, a decrease was observed in the protein concentration and an increase in the concentration of ash and lipids. Based on centesimal composition, the flour should be prepared with whole peel without maceration and dried at 80 °C.