Desenvolvimento de cobertura bioativa de gelatina para morangos adicionada de óleos essenciais de tomilho (Thymus vulgaris L.) e de laranja doce (Citrus aurantium var. Dulcis) com propriedades antimicrobianas e estudo das percepções de consumo por associação implícita

Abstract

Strawberries play an important role in the Brazilian agribusiness; however, they are highly perishable. The great demand of the consumer market for products considered “healthier”, increases the interest in conservation methods using bioactive compounds, natural structures and less aggressive to the environment. In this context, studies using edible toppings, when combined with storage at low temperatures in strawberries, have demonstrated efficacy in inhibiting microorganisms such as fungi. Essential oils are products of the secondary metabolism of plants and due to their bioactive characteristics, among them, the antimicrobial action, has the potential to be used in the food industry. Salmonella app. is a pathogenic bacterium that can cause foodborne disease (DTA), being one of the microorganisms most associated with DTA outbreaks in several countries. The objective of the present work was to develop edible bioactive toppings based on gelatin, added with essential oil of thyme and sweet orange, to apply these by immersion in strawberries, evaluating the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics that determine the shelf life of strawberries up to 15 days. As for microbiological analyzes, mesophilic aerobic bacteria, psychrotrophic bacteria, fungi, total and thermotolerant coliforms were quantified with special attention to the anti-Salmonella spp. The results were based on verifying the presence or absence of the contaminated samples at different times. In relation to Salmonella spp, it was found that the coverings with orange essential oil, alone or in conjunction with that of thyme, showed an inhibitory effect of this microorganism, which may associate this action with the presence of sweet orange oil. For the sensory test, the Implicit Association Test (IAT) was applied to identify perceptions in actions and concepts, measuring associative strength, when exposed to images and words.