MANUFACTURE OF FERMENTED BEVERAGES FROM ALTERNATIVE FRUITS FROM THE AMAZON: EVALUATION OF THE FERMENTATIVE PROCESS

The use of native Amazonian fruits for fermented beverage production represents a promising strategy to increase the value of regional biodiversity and diversify food products. This study aimed to evaluate the fermentation process of Syagrus inajai (Spruce) Becc. pulp for the production of an artisanal fermented beverage. Fruits were collected at the Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), sanitized, processed to obtain the pulp, and used to prepare the fermentation must. Two spontaneous fermentations, without the addition of commercial yeast, were carried out for 30 days using 50 g/L and 100 g/L of brown sugar. Alcohol content was determined after distillation using an alcoholmeter, while beverage temperature was monitored throughout the fermentation period. The fermentation containing 50 g/L of sugar reached a maximum alcohol content of 3.3% (v/v) on the 26th day, whereas the treatment with 100 g/L reached 2.2% (v/v) on the 15th day. In the first assay, the beverage temperature remained close to 30 °C, whereas in the second it ranged from 18 to 21 °C. Although a higher sugar concentration could theoretically increase ethanol production, the lower temperatures observed during the second fermentation may have reduced microbial metabolic activity, limiting ethanol production despite the greater availability of substrate. These findings suggest that temperature likely played a more important role than sugar concentration in fermentation performance under the conditions evaluated. The alcohol contents obtained exceeded 0.5% (v/v), classifying the product as a fermented alcoholic beverage according to Brazilian legislation. Overall, the results demonstrate the technological potential of Syagrus inajai for the production of artisanal fermented beverages and highlight the importance of controlling fermentation conditions to improve process efficiency. Future studies should investigate the physicochemical characteristics, sensory acceptance, microbial communities, bioactive compounds, and process optimization to support the development of value-added products from Amazonian biodiversity.