Análise das práticas e potencialidades agroecológicas na região de Parelheiros - SP: processamento de sorbet de cambuci (Campomanesia phaea)

Abstract

Parelheiros, a region located in the extreme south of São Paulo, is characterized as a “coastal forest” of São Paulo. It is located in an area of protection of water sources, has important remnants of the Atlantic Forest, including cambuci (Campomanesia phaea), and covers a large area of family farming. This study included the characterization of experiences and possibilities of agroecological processing in the region of Parelheiros - SP, mainly related to cambuci, the evaluation of food security assurance based on the axes of Health, Authenticity, Solidarity, Environment and Hygiene, and the development of cambuci sorbet formulations that meet agroecological prerogatives as a possibility of processing to be replicated by family farmers. The methodology was divided into two moments, the first of which involved field research structured by exploratory interviews with 17 farming families from Parelheiros - SP. In the second stage, three cambuci sorbet formulations were developed using chia mucilage and/or xanthan gum as stabilizers, evaluating their physical and chemical parameters. As main results, it is understood that cambuci is produced mainly in 5 families and has been used in some food preparations such as jam, sauces, juices, popsicles and ice cream. It is also understood that cambuci sorbet is an edible ice cream that presented desirable physical and chemical characteristics and that it can be easily replicated following the agroecological characteristics because it has a clean label formulation, contains only natural additives, has few processing steps (reducing water and energy costs) and can be packaged in biodegradable packaging. It was also inferred that the agroindustrialization of native raw materials from the Atlantic Forest in Parelheiros is linked to the strengthening of family farming, ecological tourism and the permanence of man in the countryside, producing healthy food and ensuring food security.