Caracterización bromatológica y funcional de macromoléculas y metabolitos fermentativos del pedúnculo floral de AGAVE CORDILLERENSIS

Abstract

Black agave (Agave cordillerensis), a species native to the Andean region, forms a rosette of fleshy, grayish-green, lanceolate leaves. During its reproductive phase, it develops a floral peduncle. The plant has been used for obtaining textile fibers but not as a food source. The floral peduncle, a structure that represents a significant energy source for the plant, has historically been neither used nor discarded after flowering. The objective of this project is to characterize the bromatology, macromolecular functionality, and fermentative metabolites of the Agave cordillerensis floral peduncle to identify the biomolecules present and the resulting fermented beverage. The following protocol was used: plant material was sampled and disinfected with a 1% chlorine solution, rinsed with distilled water, and placed in an oven at 49 °C. A flour was then obtained, and the following analyses were performed: Benedict's test, Biuret test, Lugol's iodine test, Molisch's test, Sudan test, potassium permanganate test, moisture content 86%, and pH 5. Additionally, the juice from the agave peduncles was fermented after sterilization in an autoclave at 121 °C, 15 psi, for 15 minutes. with subsequent inoculation with S cereviciae, at 28–32 °C, 48–72h, evaluating its nutritional and fermentative potential of the flower peduncle for its sustainable and environmentally friendly us.