Physico-chemical and microbiological analyzes of palm heart canned of the Acai type (Euterpe oleracea)

Palm heart is used as food from remote times, and is currently used not only in Brazilian cuisine, but also in international cuisine. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of canned brine and heart of acai (Euterpe oleracea) type marketed in whole or in pieces. Samples were stored for 45 days at 4 degrees C, at room temperature and at 37 degrees C. A total of 360 samples of palm hearts were analyzed in integers (n = 180) and in pieces (n = 180). The physico-chemical tests were pH, acidity (%SAN) and osmolality (mOsM/kg). The microbiological assays were the total coliforms counts (35 degrees C), Clostridium sulphite reducer count and Escherichia coli counts. The results showed that whole and broken canned palm hearts are in accordance with Brazilian legislation. However, the pH value of the canned brine of preserved heart of palm preserved at 37 degrees C presented a value higher than 4.5. Based on our experiment, we conclude that the storage of the whole heart of palm at 37 degrees C changes the pH of the brine leaving the product in conditions for the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.