ABSTRACT
Jabuticaba is a Brazilian berry rich in phenolic compounds (PC), which are mainly concentrated in its peel and seed (JPS), fractions that are not usually consumed. Thus, to develop a powder with potential functional properties, we investigated the effect of pressurization and dehydration methods on the chemical composition of JPS, with emphasis on PC. JPS showed a very diverse PC profile, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, ellagitannins and proanthocyanidins. Contrary to our hypothesis, pressurization was ineffective in increasing total PC contents of JPS. Freeze-drying and oven-drying at 75 °C yielded powders with similar total PC contents, but with distinct profile, the former richer in anthocyanins and the latter in ellagitannins. Considering that both dehydration methods produced a jabuticaba powder rich in PC, and that freeze-drying is a higher cost method, the choice between these drying methods depends on the purpose of the final product.
