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Study of rheological properties of açai berry pulp: an analysis of its time-dependent behavior and the effect of temperature

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Abstract

The industry of açai-based products has been growing in the last few years. Knowledge about the physical properties of açai pulp, including its rheology, is essential to the optimization of industrial processes. This work presents the rheological behavior of açai berry pulp in relation to the effects of shear rate, temperature, and time of shearing. The entire study was carried out in the temperature range of 10–70 °C. Açai pulp showed a non-Newtonian, pseudoplastic, and time-dependent behavior. Four upward and backward shear rate cycles were evaluated, resulting in complex hysteresis loops, in which thixotropy and anti-thixotropy zones were observed. Downward flow curves could be satisfactorily represented by the Power-Law rheological model. The stress profiles as a function of shear rate obtained in the first upward curves suggest a breakdown of the initial fluid structure at low shear rates. Tests were also carried out at a constant shear rate of 20 s−1 and, in this case, the Weltman model of thixotropy satisfactorily fit the experimental data. The activation energy, which was calculated by the Arrhenius equation, was 29.0 kJ/mol. The achievements of this work may be useful to further studies about açai pulp rheology and may contribute to process design in the açai industry.

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Abbreviations

d p :

Particle diameter

d 63.2 :

Rosin–Rammler–Bennet model parameter

m :

Rosin–Rammler–Bennet model parameter

D S :

Sauter mean diameter

Γ(p) :

Gamma function

σ :

Shear stress

σ e :

Shear stress at steady state

σ 0 :

Yield stress

γ :

Shear rate

k :

Consistency index

n :

Flow index

A 1 :

Weltman model linear coefficient of thixotropy

B 1 :

Weltman model angular coefficient of thixotropy

A 2 :

Hahn model linear coefficient of thixotropy

B 2 :

Hahn model angular coefficient of thixotropy

t :

Time of shearing

η :

Apparent viscosity

η eq :

Apparent viscosity at steady state

η° :

Pre-exponential constant of Arrhenius equation

E a :

Activation energy for the effect of temperature on açai pulp rheology

R :

Ideal gases constant

T :

Absolute temperature

RSD mean (%) :

Relative standard deviation mean

SD :

Standard deviation of an experimental point

M :

Mean value of an experimental point

N :

Number of experimental points

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the financial support provided by the organizations CNPq, CAPES, and FAPEMIG.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Engineering, Universidade Federal de São João del Rei, Rodovia MG 424, Km 47, Caixa Postal: 56, Sete Lagoas, MG, 35701-970, Brazil

    Henrique C. B. Costa

  2. School of Chemical Engineering, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Avenida João Naves de Ávila, 2121, Bloco 1K, Campus Santa Mônica, Uberlândia, MG, 38408-100, Brazil

    Henrique C. B. Costa, Fábio O. Arouca, Danylo O. Silva & Luiz Gustavo M. Vieira

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  1. Henrique C. B. Costa
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  2. Fábio O. Arouca
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Correspondence to Henrique C. B. Costa.

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Costa, H.C.B., Arouca, F.O., Silva, D.O. et al. Study of rheological properties of açai berry pulp: an analysis of its time-dependent behavior and the effect of temperature. J Biol Phys 44, 557–577 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10867-018-9506-7

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