Management and adding value to Caatinga fruits as a tool for the development of the semiarid region

Enter multiple e-mails separated by comma.

imagem

Photo: MAY, Tomas

Umbu (Spondias tuberosa) and wild passion fruit (Passiflora cincinnata) are native fruits that stand out in the Caatinga biome. These species are consumed as part of dietary habits of the population from the Brazilian Semiarid at the same time that some of them are in endangered risk due to ongoing deforestation and environmental imbalance. Agroindustrialization is an alternative to add value to agricultural production and to complement crops management actions. This project aimed to develop differentiated products from Caatinga native fruits and to establish agricultural management conditions, strengthening strategies to cope with drought. To this end, different action plans have been carried out in partnership with other Embrapa Units: Semiarid, Cassava and Fruits, and Eastern Amazon; federal universities of Bahia and Rio de Janeiro; and the Family Agribusiness Cooperative of Canudos, Uauá and Curaçá - Coopercuc, situated in Uauá city, Bahia. Therefore, family farmers from semiarid regions are the main beneficiaries of the results achieved in this project. Participatory diagnostics were carried out to characterize both the situation of extractive areas, as well as the activities of the Caatinga fruit trees processing. Then, seedlings of both Spondias on umbu tree rootstock and wild passion fruit were produced, implanted, and distributed, as well as four Practical Technological Learning Units (UPATs) were established, using umbu tree as rootstock for other species of Spondias associated with wild passion fruit. Several agroindustrial products were developed, such as: low calorie jam based on wild passion fruit, cereal bars based on umbu and wild passion fruit, chutney sauce based on wild passion fruit and mango, umbu and mango fruit leather, and umbu and passion fruit structured fruits. The fractions of umbu fruit were characterized and the effect of the heat treatment over its carotenoid contents and color were also assessed. The results showed that, in the evaluated conditions, such quality standards were not affected by heat treatment. The results obtained were published in different types of publications such as five papers in peer reviewed journals, one book chapter, five Embrapa’s technical publications and several papers presented at events,. Other actions for dissemination the results were also conducted: training events were held for semiarid farmers (practical course for obtaining one of the agroindustrial products), dissemination of the work carried out in partnership with the Cooperative in a radio program broadcast in Northeast region and presentation of one of the developed assets in the Market Niche Workshop. It is expected that the results can effectively contribute to income increase and improvement of quality of life of farmers in the semiarid region.

Status: Completed Start date: Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 GMT-03:00 2012 Conclusion date: Mon Aug 31 00:00:00 GMT-03:00 2015

Head Unit: Embrapa Food Technology

Project leader: Virginia Martins da Matta

Contact: virginia.matta@embrapa.br

Image gallery