Soursop: applications and benefits in the food industry

When it comes to the green fruits group, soursop stands out for its exceptional flavor, oval shape, and small thorns. In addition to its appearance, this fruit offers numerous nutritional benefits, health properties, and applications in the food industry. Here are the most relevant facts about this delicious fruit, also known as graviola or annona muricata (by its scientific name).

Soursop and its innovation in the food industry

The use of soursop purée in the food industry is gaining popularity worldwide. This increased interest is due to the properties and chemical richness of the fruit and its by-products, which are rich in phytochemicals. Plants contain natural compounds called phytochemicals, which offer health benefits such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (Curtis, 2024).

Recent studies have revalued traditionally discarded by-products of this fruit, such as damaged soursop seeds, peels, and leaves. These show that these by-products, especially graviola leaves, have significant therapeutic effects and great potential for the pharmaceutical industry (Lima et al., 2023).

By-products represent an opportunity in the food industry. People's growing interest in their health creates great potential for producers to highlight the health benefits of their products and differentiate themselves in the marketplace.

As a result, tropical soursop-producing countries are beginning to take advantage of these by-products more efficiently. The fruit pulp, along with its byproducts like yeast powder, bioactive compounds, and oil, is creating new opportunities in the food industry. This comprehensive use of fruit not only supports sustainability, but also provides economic benefits for the regions that produce it (Lima et al., 2023).

For producers and distributors, then, the use of this fruit represents an innovative and profitable alternative. Why? Because it allows them to reduce their environmental impact, diversify their supply, and generate new sources of income.

Specific uses of soursop 

The purée of this fruit offers several creative applications in the food industry. This maximizes the value of by-products that would otherwise go to waste. Here are its main applications.

Dairy products

Producers can incorporate fruit into the production of various dairy products. For example, they use its purée to create yogurts and fresh cheeses with a distinctive tropical flavor. It is also possible to make creamy ice creams and milk shakes with soursop to offer an exotic and refreshing option.

The incorporation of this fruit purée in yogurt production can improve its nutritional profile. In addition, it positively influences its sensory properties and mineral composition. This offers an opportunity to develop new yogurt varieties with improved characteristics (Sanusi et al. 2022).

Beverages

In the beverage sector, thisfruit offers versatile applications. Producers use the purée in the production of tropical wines, which stand out for their unique flavor and color notes. Additionally, they are experimenting with its juice in fermentation to produce kombucha. In this context, they combine it with black tea and sugar to develop a beverage with an innovative flavor profile.

Soursop vinegar, a less acidic and sweeter alternative to traditional vinegar, has also been produced. Its leaves are even used in the production of tea that has soothing, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.

Desserts

This fruit can enrich a variety of desserts. As already mentioned, the texture of its purée is ideal for preparing ice creams and sorbets. It can also be used in the preparation of cakes and pastries to add a tropical touch. In addition, compotes and sauces of this fruit can be created to accompany desserts or as fillings in cakes.

Sauces with soursop

Graviola can also serve as a base for creating exotic sauces to complement meats and fish. Given the nature of its flavor, its incorporation brings a sweet and sour touch. In other words, a unique flavor profile to more gourmet dishes. In this way, soursop-based sauces can be an interesting alternative to traditional options.

Bakery

In baking, this fruit can be used in multiple ways. For example, producers can integrate the purée into doughs for bread and rolls to provide a tropical flavor and smooth texture. Additionally, they can add soursop powder, obtained by dehydration, to muffin and cookie mixes. Likewise, the starch, which can be extracted with a yield of 27,30 %, is ideal for baked goods (Lima et al. 2023).

Main benefits of soursop

Undoubtedly, this is one of the tropical fruits that stands out for its unique and exotic flavor. It blends notes of pineapple, mango, and citrus (WebMD, 2022). This combination makes it ideal for juices, smoothies, and desserts. Additionally, its pulp is smooth and creamy, making it an excellent choice for ice cream and purées.

But its outstanding sensory attributes are not the only ones. The benefits of this fruit go beyond its flavor. Some of them are (WebMD, 2022):

• It is rich in vitamin C. Just one contains 215% of the recommended daily intake of this vitamin. So, it strengthens the immune system and protects against oxidative damage.
• It provides various antioxidants. It is rich in phytosterols, tannins, and flavonoids, which help protect overall health and fight oxidative stress.
• Helps with digestive health. With approximately 83 % of the recommended daily fiber, it supports healthy digestion and prevents issues like constipation.
• Reduces inflammation. The antioxidants it possesses help reduce inflammation by fighting molecules that cause cell damage in the body.
• Regulates blood pressure. It provides potassium, which helps eliminate sodium from the body and lowers blood pressure. This contributes to optimal cardiovascular health.
• Possesses antibacterial properties. Its extracts have shown antibacterial potential in studies, with the ability to fight bacteria such as those that cause gum disease and cholera.
• It is an excellent source of several essential vitamins and minerals. Among the vitamins are B1, B2, and B3. Minerals include calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and copper.

In other words, this fruit offers a pleasant taste and texture. In addition, it is beneficial to health, the dream of every fruit!

How to optimize the production process with soursop?

To obtain a delicious and healthy purée from this fruit, it is crucial to carefully follow the production and preservation steps. Firstly, ripe and healthy soursop is selected. It is crucial to harvest them when they are perfectly ripe to ensure the highest quality.

The fruits are then carefully cleaned and disinfected. Subsequently, the pulp is peeled and discarded. This process must be carried out delicately to avoid oxidation and preserve the nutrients. The pulp is then mashed until a smooth, homogeneous purée is obtained, free of lumps or fibers.

To preserve freshness and benefits, the purée undergoes a pasteurization process. The process consists of heating the purée at high temperatures for a certain time. This eliminates harmful microorganisms without altering the organoleptic properties of the fruit

After pasteurization, the soursop purée is carefully packaged in airtight, clean containers. It is important to seal the containers properly to avoid air entry and contamination. Finally, the purée is refrigerated or frozen to ensure long-term preservation

During storage, it is crucial to maintain optimum temperature and humidity conditions. Proper refrigeration or freezing prevents the growth of microorganisms and preserves the quality of the concentrate.

By following these production and preservation steps, you can enjoy a graviola purée with an intense flavor, a smooth texture, and all the nutritional benefits of this delicious tropical fruit.

Quality inputs, premium products

In conclusion, soursop stands out for its exquisite flavor and creamy texture, which makes it a versatile and appetizing ingredient. In addition, its richness in vitamins and minerals makes it an ideal fruit for the food industry. By using it, producers will be sure to create delicious foods with attractive nutritional value.

If you are a food producer and want to offer good products, you must start by choosing quality raw materials. Explore the variety of innovative inputs made with graviola pulp that we offer at Alimentos SAS and discover how this tropical fruit can transform your recipes. Visit our website to learn more!

Referencias bibliográficas

• Sanusi, M., Raji, A., y Aylaran, E. (2022). Kinetic acidification and quality composition of yoghurt produced with soursop puree. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 16, 2229-2239.
• Curtis, A. (2024, July 26th). Alimentos que contienen sustancias fitoquímicas. Breastcancer.org.
• Lima, I., Da Cruz, A., Amante, R., y Meller, L. (2023). Soursop (Annona muricata) Properties and Perspectives for Integral Valorization. Foods, 12(7), 1448.
• WebMD. (2022, September 19th). Health Benefits of Soursop.