Qualidade nutricional e físico-química em cenoura (Daucus carota l.) in natura e minimamente processada.

Introduction: Carrot (Daucus carota L.) is one of the most produced and consumed vegetables by Brazilian population and has been commercialized either fresh or fresh cut. The nutritional quality of carrots after processing may change their chemical composition and physicochemical profile. Objective: To determine and compare the nutritional and physicochemical quality in fresh and fresh cut carrot. Material and Methods: Fresh and fresh cut carrots were acquired in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, and the following parameters were determined: moisture, proteins, lipids, "available" carbohydrates, dietary fiber (DF), ash, total energetic value (TEV), phenolics, vitamin C, carotenoids and other pigments, some physicochemical parameters (pH, titratable acidity, soluble solid and antioxidant activity). All results were analyzed by t test at 5% significance. Results: The moisture, protein, lipids, carbohydrates (difference), DF, ash, TEV (kcal/100g), phenolics, vitamin C, total carotenoids, lycopene, betacarotene, chlorophyll A, chlorophyll B, antioxidant activity, soluble solids, titratable acidity and pH for fresh carrot were, respectively: 90.0%; 0.6%; 0.2%; 5.1%; 3.3%; 0.8%; 24.2 kcal/100g; 32.8mg%; 21.3mg%; 2.0mg%; 0.0mg%; 2.0mg%; 0.2mg%; 0.0mg%; 38.7%; 12.0 sBrix; 1.4%; 6.0. For fresh cut carrot the values were, respectively: 89.8%; 0.6%; 0.1%; 5.7%; 3.0%; 0.8%; 26.1 kcal/100g; 39.9mg%; 18.3mg%; 1.6mg%; 0.0mg%; 1.6mg%; 0.2mg%; 0.0mg%; 24.0%; 12.0 sBrix; 1.9%; 5.5. Conclusion: Analyzing both treatments, on can conclude that fresh carrots have higher nutrient content than fresh cut carrots. These findings were important and showed that further studies must be made, in order to investigate the effect of minimal processing on carrots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]