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ABSTRACT Due to high of vitamin C content, acerola is exploited as source of this vitamin for the enrichment of industrial products. This work aimed to develop a method for monitoring vitamin C content using near infrared (NIR) during extraction procedure from acerola, thereby different processing steps were evaluated. The calibration and validation models were obtained by partial least squares regression with correlation between values by the reference method, spectrophotometry at visible 525 nm, and absorption data by near infrared spectroscopy, 800 to 2500 nm. The most robust quantification model was determined using coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error of calibration (RMSECV) and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP). Vitamin C content ranged from 1,188.39 to 9,959.74 mg. 100 g-1, throughout extraction procedure. The obtained RMSEP, 166.27 mg 100 g-1, indicates NIR spectroscopy as a promising tool for quantification of vitamin C during extraction from acerola, with the possibility of verifying the content in intermediate stages of production line and moreover, enabling adjustments for correction.

A acerola é um fruto tropical de grande potencial agronômico e nutricional. A propagação vegetativa da aceroleira é uma vantagem para a obtenção e seleção rápida de clones superiores. Com o objetivo de avaliar clones de aceroleira quanto às características agronômicas e a capacidade antioxidante dos frutos, um experimento foi instalado em blocos ao acaso com 25 tratamentos, três repetições e três plantas por parcela, no Campo Experimental de Paraipaba, CE. Durante três anos, foram avaliados: altura da planta, diâmetro de copa, produção e como parâmetros pós-colheita dos frutos, os antioxidantes enzimáticos e não enzimáticos. Pelos resultados obtidos, conclui-se que o padrão de crescimento em altura apresentado pelos clones é resultado da seleção conduzida entre e dentre as progênies por dois ciclos. Dentre todos os materiais estudados, os 23/2(3), 79/10(9) e 26/5(4) apresentam boas produtividades e conteúdos de vitamina C e demonstram ter um potencial para a indústria de extração de vitamina C, enquanto, o material 20/4(8) possui boa produtividade e bom desenvolvimento vegetativo, portanto um bom potencial para a produção voltada para o consumo in natura.Acerola is a tropical fruit with great agronomic and nutritional potential. Vegetative propagation of acerola plant can be an advantage for a quick selection of superior clones. With the objective of evaluating acerola clones regarding their agronomic characteristics and antioxidant capacity of their fruit, an experiment was set up in a randomised-block design with 25 treatments consisting of three replicates with three plants per plot at the Experimental Station in Paraipaba-Ceará. For three years the following characteristics were evaluated: plant height, crown diameter and yield and as post-harvest parameters of the fruit, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. The data shows the pattern of vertical growth displayed by the clones is resultant of a selection carried out with the progeny of two cycles. Among the studied clones, 23/2 (3), 79/10 (9) and 26/5 (4) presented good yield and vitamin C content and therefore, have potential for the industrial extraction of vitamin C, while 20/4 (8) has good yield and vegetative growth besides a high antioxidant enzymatic activity, thereby showing good potential for in natura market.