OPTIMIZING THE ENZYMATIC MACERATION OF FOLIOLE PUREE FROM HARD PIECES OF HEARTS OF PALM (EUTERPE EDULIS MART) USING RESPONSE-SURFACE ANALYSIS

Response surface analysis was applied to investigate modifications in viscosity of foliole puree treated with commercial enzyme preparations high in cellulase and endopolygalacturonase (pectinase) with changes in enzyme concentration (0.3-1.2%), incubation time (3.3-6.7 hr) and temperature (40-50 degrees C). Foliole puree was obtained by trituration of hard pieces of hearts of palm (Euterpe edulis) and incubated in a rotating agitator. After treatment with 0.81% cellulase for approximate to 5 hr at 50 degrees C, a fourfold reduction in viscosity was found relative to a control sample. The minimum viscosity for this treatment was within the experimental range investigated. Optimized experimental conditions for treatment with pectinase however were outside the experimental range. The application of the cellulase preparation to the puree resulted in a 10% increase in yield of edible palm.