The aim of this study is to analyze the stability of ascorbic acid in orange juice cv. "Pera" used as an ingredient to prepare cakes, puddings and jelly. Cakes and puddings were baked in conventional and microwave ovens and the jelly was prepared in a pan without a lid. Ascorbic acid content, total soluble solids, total tritatable acidity and the pH were determined in all prepared foods. The AA content in cakes and puddings, when compared to the content of orange juice in natura had a reduction of 76.09% and 41.76%, respectively when baked in a microwave oven and of 84.21% and 46.71%, when baked in a conventional oven. Orange jelly showed a reduction of 24.76% in the ascorbic acid content related to orange juice in natura. Preparing cakes and puddings in a microwave oven provided a greater retention of the ascorbic acid, when compared to the conventional oven. These preparations had a higher loss to jelly, made in a pan without a lid. It was also observed that the cakes lost more ascorbic acid than the puddings in both evaluated cooking methods.
ascorbic acid; orange juice; thermal process
