Characterization of merquén, rancidity kinetics, and sensory evaluation of its incorporation in butter
Merquén in butter
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.29.3.2404Keywords:
chili pepper, merquén, sensory, rancidity, gastronomic heritage, canned cherriesAbstract
Introduction: Merquén is an ancestral product of the Mapuche people in the Araucanía region of Chile and Argentina. It is made from dehydrated and smoked chili peppers and other ingredients. It is part of the national gastronomic heritage. It contains antioxidant compounds, a pungent and smoky aroma, and a delicious flavor.
Methodology: A sample of merquén from Araucanía is characterized by humidity, acidity, carotenoid and total polyphenol content, and microbiological count. Merquén is added to butter at 0.25 - 0.5 - 1 - 1.5 % (M1, M2, M3, and M4 respectively) while maintaining a control sample (M0). In these samples, the acidity was measured for 4 months using the volumetric method. In the butter samples with merquén, the sensorial acceptability was evaluated with a 9-point hedonic scale for attributes (appearance, color, aroma, flavor, and texture), and two focus groups were held to know the opinion of the evaluators.
Results: The merquén contains 9.4 g/100 g of moisture, 0.576% citric acid acidity, 203 mg/100 g dry weight of carotenoids, and 136.5 mg AGE/100 g dry weight of total polyphenols. The count of fungi and yeasts complies with health regulations. The addition of merquén to butter causes an increase in acidity over time, reducing shelf life. The sensorial acceptability is high, with samples 1% and 1.5% merquén being the favorites.
Conclusion: The samples with the highest sensory rating are M3 and M4, these samples have a significant increase in acidity from the 3rd month of storage, so the shelf life of 2 months should be declared.
Funding: School of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health, Santo Tomás University, Santiago, Chile.
References
Eguilor P, Oyarzún MT. Chile: Presentación caso piloto “merken- merquèn”. 1er Taller Regional TCP/RLA/3211 Calidad de los Alimentos vinculada al origen y las tradiciones en América Latina. 2010.
Sepúlveda A. Juan Alfonso. Memorias del Merken y la alimentación Nagche: un legado ancestral de las cocinas mapuche. Consejo Nacional de la Cultura y las Artes. 2015.
Baenas N, Belović M, Moreno DA, García-Viguera C. Industrial use of pepper (Capsicum annum L.) derived products: Technological benefits and biological advantages. Food Chemistry. 2019; 274: 872-885, doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.09.047.
Tundis R, Menichini F, Bonesi M, Conforti F, Statti G, Menichini F, Loizzo M. Antioxidant and hypoglycaemic activities and their relationship to phytochemicals in Capsicum annum cultivars during fruit development. LWT – Food Science and Technology. 2013; 53:370-377, doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2013.02.013.
Guzmán I. Bosland PW. Sensory properties of chile pepper heat and its importance to Food quality and cultural preference. Appetite. 2017; 117:186-190, doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.06.026.
Leonelli G, Diaz C, Tighe R, Castillo C, Pardo F, Birlouez-Aragon I. Heterogeneity in color of merkén formulations prepared from ecotypes of chili pepper (Capsicum annum L.) cv. “Cacho de cabra”. IDESIA-Revista de Agricultura en zonas áridas. 2011; 29 (3):109-115.
Loizzo MR, Pugliese A, Bonesi M, Menichini F, Tundis R. Evaluation of chemical profile and antioxidant activity of twenty cultivars from Capsicum annum, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum chacoense and Capsicum chinese: A comparison between fresh and processed peppers. LWT-Food Science and Technology. 2015; 64:623-631, doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2015.06.042.
Pokorny J, Yanishlieva N, Gordon M. Antioxidantes de los alimentos. 2005. Editorial Acribia. Zaragoza, España.
Bhat S, Kaushal P, Kaur M, Sharma HK. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.): Processing, nutritional and functional aspects. African Journal of Plant Science. 2014;8(1):25-33, doi: 10.5897/AJPS2013.1118.
Nekera KD, Kuyu CG, Tola Y, Gemechu AT. Chemical, microbial, and sensory characteristics of cow butter as affected by modified atmospheric packaging. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. 2023; 14:100892, doi: 10.1016/j.jafr.2023.100892.
Staniewski B, Ogrodowska D, Staniewska K. The effect of triacylglycerol and fatty acid composition on the rheological properties of butter. International Dairy Journal. 2021; 114: 104913, doi: 10.1016/j.idairyj.2020.104913.
Karakus MS, Akgul FY, Korkmaz A, Atasoy AF. Evaluation of fatty acids, free fatty acids and textural properties of butter and sadeyag (anhydrous butter fat) produced from ovine and bovine cream and yogurt. International Dairy Journal. 2022; 126:105229, doi: 10.1016/j.idairyj.2021.105229
Erkaya T, Ürkek B, Doğru Ü, Çetin B, Şengül M. Probiotic butter: Stability, free fatty acid composition and some quality parameters during refrigerated storage. International Dairy Journal. 2015; 49:102-110, doi: 10.1016/j.idairyj.2015.04.011
Ministerio de Salud. Reglamento Sanitario de los Alimentos. DS 977/96. 2024. https://www.minsal.cl/reglamento-sanitario-de-los-alimentos/
A.O.A.C. Official Methods of Analysis, 18th Edition. 2005.
Rodríguez-Amaya D. Carotenoids and Food Preparation: The Retention of Provitamin A Carotenoids in Prepared, Processed, and Stored Foods. Office of Health and Nutrition, Bureau for Global Programs.1997.
Singleton V, Rossi J. Colorimetry of total phenolics with phosphomolybdic-phosphotungstic acid reagents. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture. 1965; 16:144-158.
Recuento de mohos y levaduras en alimentos. Método ISO21527-1. 2008
Análisis sensorial – Metodología- Guía general para la realización de pruebas hedónicas con consumidores. Norma Española UNE-EN-ISO 11136. 2017.
Aigneren M. La técnica de recolección de información mediante grupos focales. La Sociología En Sus Escenarios. 2009; 6: 1-32. https://revistas.udea.edu.co/index.php/ceo/article/view/1611/1264
Javier-Pisco P, Escriche I, Igual M, García-Segovia P, Pagan MJ. Evaluation of consumer perception of new aquaculture products through applying focus group and check-all-that-apply methodologies. Foods. 2024; 13: 2480, doi: 10.3390/foods13162480
Palo Tejada J, Puma Taco A, Campos Falcón E. Secado del ají panca en un secador solar fotovoltaico de tubos al vacío: Colaboración con el XXIII Simposio Peruano de Energía Solar. TECNIA. 2020; 30(1), 34–38, doi: 10.21754/tecnia. v30i1.853.
Gamarra N. Evaluación químico proximal y fisicoquímica de 5 especies y/o variedades de ajíes (Capsicum) identificados en la provincia de Oxapampa, Región Pasco. Prospectiva Universitaria. 2009; 6: 01-02.
Martínez M, dos Santos C, Verruma-Bernardi M, Carrilho E, da Silva P, Spoto M, Ciarrocchi I, Sala F. Agronomic, physical-chemical and sensory evaluation of pepper hybrids (Capsicum chinese Jacquin). Scientia Horticulturae. 2021; 277:109819, doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109819
Topuz A, Ozdemir F. Assessment of carotenoids, capsaicinoids and ascorbic acid composition of some selected pepper cultivars (Capsicum annuum L.) grown in Turkey. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 2007; 20: 596–602, doi: 10.1016/j.jfca.2007.03.007.
Moreno-Escamilla J, de la Rosa L, López-Díaz J, Rodrigo-García J, Núñez-Gastélum J, Alvarez-Parrilla E. Effect of the smoking process and firewood type in the phytochemical content and antioxidant capacity of red Jalapeño pepper during its transformation to chipotle pepper. Food Research International. 2015; 76(3): 654-660, doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2015.07.031.
Sérot T, Baron R, Knockaert C, Vallet JC. Effect of smoking processes on the contents of 10 major phenolic compounds in smoked fillets of herring (Cuplea harengus). Food Chemistry. 2004; 85(1): 111-120, doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2003.06.011.
Muñoz-Concha D, Quiñones X, Hernández JP, Romero S. Chili pepper landrace survival and familiy farmers in Central Chile. Agronomy. 2020; 10(10):1541, doi: 10.3390/agronomy10101541
Ponder A, Kulik K, Hallmann E. Occurrence and Determination of Carotenoids and Polyphenols in Different Paprika Powders from Organic and Conventional Production. Molecules. 2021; 26(10):2980, doi: 10.3390/molecules26102980.
Farag RS, Ali MN, Taha SH. Use of some essential oils as natural preservatives for butter. Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. JAOCS. 1990. 68(3):188-191.
Ayar A, Özcan M, Akgül A, Akin N. Butter stability as affected by extracts of sage, rosemary and oregano. Journal of Food Lipids. 2001; 8: 15-25.
Serra JJ, Fagoaga C, Mura J, Sempere-Ferre F, Castellano G. Effectiveness of natural antioxidants on oxidative stability of margarines. LWT – Food Science and Technology. 2024; 214:116997, doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2024.116997.
Sora GT, Souza A, Zielinski A, Haminiuk C, Matsushita M, Peralta R. Fatty acid composition of Capsicum genus peppers. Ciência e Agrotecnologia Lavras. 2015; 39(4): 372-380, doi: 10.1590/S1413-70542015000400008.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 Vilma Quitral, Jazmín Acuña, Valeria Orellana, Valentina Santelina, Marcos Flores
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
This journal 