Microscopic parameters of coconut sugar marketed in the city of São Paulo, Brazil: identity and quality
Coconut sugar has become popular in Brazil and worldwide due to the nutritional claims of being anatural and healthier sweetener compared to other sugars. Its production takes places in an artisanalway from the extraction of phloem sap from the inflorescence of the palm. The aim of this work wasto m...
| Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | article |
| Status: | Published version |
| Publication Date: | 2020 |
| Country: | Brasil |
| Institution: | Instituto Adolfo Lutz |
| Repository: | Revista do Instituto Adolfo Lutz (Online) |
| Language: | Portuguese |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:ojs.periodicos.saude.sp.gov.br:article/36025 |
| Online Access: | https://periodicos.saude.sp.gov.br/RIAL/article/view/36025 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | food analysis quality control fraud good practices food safety health surveillance análise de alimentos controle de qualidade fraude boas práticas inocuidade dos alimentos vigilância sanitária |
| Summary: | Coconut sugar has become popular in Brazil and worldwide due to the nutritional claims of being anatural and healthier sweetener compared to other sugars. Its production takes places in an artisanalway from the extraction of phloem sap from the inflorescence of the palm. The aim of this work wasto microscopically analyze the identity and the presence of foreign matter in samples of coconutsugar, as well as to verify its compliance with Brazilian health legislation. Thirteen commercialsamples of coconut sugar from the city of São Paulo were analyzed for the research and identificationof histological elements and foreign matter. The identification of vegetable histological elementsrevealed the presence of starches morphologically similar to the Triticum sp. (wheat), Manihot sp.(cassava) and Oryza sativa (rice) pattern, besides altered starches. Vegetable histological elementscompatible with the Saccharum officinarum (sugar cane) and Cocos nucifera (coconut) pattern werealso found. All samples analyzed contained foreign matter with predominance of insect fragments in100% of the samples. The results of the study indicate flaws in the Good Practices for the productionof coconut sugar and the need to adapt this product to current standards. |
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