Potencial químico e tecnológico do lúpulo brasileiro

Abstract

The beer industry requires high quality raw materials for its production due to the exponential growth in beer consumption in Brazil in recent years. Beer has several aroma and flavor compounds, mostly from malt and hops (Humulus lupulus L). Traditionally, hop production occurs in the northern hemisphere, so Brazil imports all its demand from other countries, due to the edaphoclimatic characteristics that until then were considered unfavorable to its spontaneous production. However, in 2016 there was success in planting seedlings imported from Europe of this crop, which guaranteed the first harvests in 2018. The objective of this research was to highlight the physical-chemical characteristics, phenolic potential, antioxidant and sensory activity of hops adapted to the climate in the flower form of the varieties: Cascade, Columbus, Hallertau Mittelfruh and Nugget, from the 2018 and 2019 vintages. In addition to palletized hops of the same varieties but produced internationally in the 2018 vintage. As well as beers made with the addition of hops adapted to the Brazilian climate, compared to palletized hops of the same international varieties. From the hops, hydroalcoholic extracts were elaborated, in which the contents of total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids and the antioxidant capacity by the DPPH and ORAC methods were studied. The aromatic sensory analysis was carried out with the four flower hops for the 2018 harvest through the CATA test. Eight beer formulations were prepared, four with the addition of national hops from the 2018 harvest and four international hops from the same harvest also from the 2018 harvest. The beers were evaluated for real and primitive extract, foam drainage, alcohol content, pH, total acidity titratable, total soluble solids, color, bitterness, content of total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids and antioxidant capacity by the ORAC method. The beers were analyzed sensorially through the affective test of preference by paired comparison. There was a statistical difference between the 2018 and 2019 harvests of national hops in all parameters analyzed. The Columbus and Nugget varieties showed the greatest evolution in the amount of total phenolic compounds from the 2018 to 2019 harvest. The Columbus variety also showed greater antioxidant capacity and greater antioxidant evolution from the 2018 to 2019 harvest. The result of the CATA sensory analysis demonstrated that the tasters found different characteristics among the hops, being possible to characterize and differentiate them through their aromas. The result of the physical-chemical analysis of the beers with the addition of national and international hops influenced the behavior of the foam content, color, bitterness and total acidity. The beers made with national hops showed higher values of phenolic compounds and antioxidant when compared to the same beers made with international varieties, showing a significant difference at the level of 5%. The result of the sensory analysis of paired comparison showed that the beers made with the national hops Cascade, Columbus and Nugget were preferred when compared to the same beers made with the international varieties.