Produção de hidromel com extrato alcoólico de capim-santo (Cymbopogon citratus)

Abstract

Honey is undoubtedly the most known product, coming from bees. It has wide application in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics and scent industries. As a natural, versatile and highly fermentable product, honey became a great ingredient and sweetener that can be used in the production of beverages. Of those fermented with honey, mead is probably the oldest alcoholic drink known by man. Although traditional mead is made by simply diluting honey in water, spices are also used in its manufacture as long as is does not mask the honey’s flavor and characteristics. In this context, the present study aims at the production of mead with alcoholic extract of crabgrass (cymbopogon citratus), the evaluation of the physicochemical characteristics against the recipe with and without the addition of adjuncts. The characteristics analyzed were: Density, pH, Microbiological of E.coli and Total Coliforms, Concentration of Methanol and Ethanol, Determination of Total Sugars and Determination of Total Proteins. Both mead recipes were validated in accordance with current legislation. Regarding density, the density below 1 g/L found in the samples indicates that there was a decrease in the amount of soluble solids. On the other hand, the pH found in mead recipes is an acidic pH within the standards determined in the literature. In the panorama of E.coli and Total Coliforms tests, no contaminations were presented, being within the Resolutions of the Collegiate Board (RDC). Also, no Methanol Concentration levels were observed, indicating adequate fermentation control, with the Average Ethanol Concentration at 4.3% (v/v) within the range determined by normative instruction n° 34 of 2012. According to the amounts of Total Sugars Meads are classified as dry products. And the Total Protein Concentration is within the standards determined in the literature. Finally, a dry mead flavored with lemongrass with an average alcohol content of 4.3 was obtained, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA).