Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: PAMARA VIRNA CARLOS DE OLIVEIRA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : PAMARA VIRNA CARLOS DE OLIVEIRA
DATE: 29/09/2025
TIME: 15:00
LOCAL: Sessão pública realizada por meio de Videoconferência
TITLE:

Arrowroot Flour (Maranta arundinacea L.): Production and Evaluation of Nutritional and Technological Feasibility for Use as a Food Ingredient.

KEY WORDS:

Biodiversity, Rhizome, Stability, Sensory Analysis

PAGES: 70
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Nutrição
SUMMARY:

Human dietary diversity is based on a limited number of plant species, with only 30 of the approximately 30,000 known edible species being utilized. This scenario results in the underutilization of the vast biodiversity of countries like Brazil. A viable alternative to reverse this situation is the revival of traditional knowledge and the incorporation of native species into the diet, such as arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea), classified as a Non-Conventional Food Plant (PANC), whose cultivation and consumption have declined in recent decades. This study aimed to investigate the technological and nutritional feasibility of producing arrowroot flour and its use as a food ingredient. The research was divided into three phases: In the first phase, to define the optimal production protocol for the flour, the effect of different drying times and temperatures on quality parameters was evaluated: water activity (a_w), yield, color, particle size, and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy). It was found that a_w was the variable that exerted the greatest influence on product quality, being decisive for defining the optimal drying range. The second phase, currently underway, comprises determining the shelf life of arrowroot flour. Initially, for flour characterization, microbiological, physicochemical, chemical, and technological analyses were performed. Subsequently, the shelf-life study was initiated, with a planned duration of six months and analyses conducted every 30 days. The microbiological profile, physicochemical, chemical, and technological properties, colorimetric indices, as well as photographic monitoring are being assessed. To define the shelf life, the results of the analyses will be compared across the different time intervals evaluated, identifying the point at which significant changes occur that exceed the acceptance limits. In the third phase, the flour will be applied as an ingredient in the development of a brownie-type cake. The final product will undergo proximate composition analysis, microbiological testing (to verify compliance with good manufacturing practices), and finally, sensory analysis to assess acceptability. This work is highly relevant, as it intends not only to generate scientific knowledge about an underutilized resource but also to promote the valorization of Brazilian agrobiodiversity. By providing concrete data on the quality, safety, and application of arrowroot flour, the study contributes to the development of new food products, encourages more diverse agricultural practices, and supports initiatives for the conservation of traditional knowledge associated with native biodiversity.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 3211846 - KARLA SUZANNE FLORENTINO DA SILVA CHAVES DAMASCENO
Externa à Instituição - MAYARA SANTA ROSA LIMA - UFRB
Externa ao Programa - 1674112 - RENATA ALEXANDRA MOREIRA DAS NEVES - nullInterna - 2275877 - THAIS SOUZA PASSOS