Evaluation of the stability of bioactive compounds in native fruit pulp exposed to irradiation process

Author(s)

Ana Carolina Leme Castelucci

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Piracicaba.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA/STB)
• Defense date: 2015-07-02

Examining board members

Marta Helena Fillet Spoto; Marta Regina Verruma Bernardi; Giuseppina Pace Pereira Lima; Nélida Lúcia Del Mastro; Rodrigo Rodrigues Petrus

• Advisor: Marta Helena Fillet Spoto

Abstract

Brazil is a major producer of exotic native fruits. There is a diversity of native fruits still unknown and slightly researched. Taking into consideration the great importance of Myrtaceae regarding the conservation of the Atlantic Forest; the economic and nutritive potential of the production of native fruit pulp; and considering that the food processing may affect the level of nutrients, particularly with regard to the bioactive compound content and its antioxidant activity, the purpose of this study is to generate knowledge on the composition and the antioxidant capability of Myrtaceae pulps. The study aims at enlarging the consumption of Myrtaceae pulps, their marketing potential and their value-added, as well as at evaluating the effect of gamma radiation on bioactive properties during the cold storage period of pulps, and finally, the identification and quantification of the phenolic compounds. The pulps of uvaia (Eugenia pyriformis Camb.), cambuci (Campomanesia phaea), feijoa (Acca sellowiana), grumixama (Eugenia brasiliensis) and cereja do rio grande (Eugenia involucrata) were divided into 5 batches, 4 of them were exposed to irradiation (0, 2, 4, e 6 kGy) and one batch pasteurization (85°C/5min.) treatments. The results showed that the pulps have an expressive quantity of compounds with antioxidant activity. Uvaia pulp stood out by the ascorbic acid contents, which decreased from 89,99 mg.100 g-1 in pasteurization to 64,74 mg.100 g-1 by 6 kGy, and by the carotenoids, which varied from 24,7 ?g.g-1 in the control sample to 15,94 ?g.g-1 by 4 kGy. Feijoa presented high levels of flavonoids in the control sample, 10,21 mg of gallic acid.mL-1, in irradiation 2; 4 and 6 kGy, 9,75; 11,58 e 12,79 mg of gallic acid.mL-1, respectively, and in pasteurization 12,64 mg of gallic acid.mL-1. The anthocyanins were found in major quantities in the grumixama pulps (in pasteurization, 106,01 mg eq. cianidina-3-glicosideo.L-1, irradiated by 2, 4 e 6 kGy, 52,93; 32,36 e 48,64, respectively and in the control sample 59,75) and cereja do rio grande (in pasteurization 136,33 mg equ. cianidina-3-glicosideo.L-1, in the control sample 77,11 mg equ. cianidina-3-glicosideo.L-1 and irradiated 74,91; 77,7 and 69,47 mg equ. cianidina-3-glicosideo.L-1, respectively by 2, 4 e 6 kGy). Flavoniods and anthocyanins were not found in cambuci pulps. Also, there were low values of the others researched compounds in cambuci pulps. The phenolic compound majorly found in the uvaia pulp was the gallic acid, in the feijoa was the ellagic and quinic acids, in cambuci was the quinic acid, in the grumixama was the ellagic acid and quercetin, and in the cereja do rio grande was the quinic acid and the rutin. Although the gamma radiation revealed to be an efficient conservation method and may be used without prejudice of bioactive compounds, based on the conditions researched, the doses between 2 and 6 kGy were not effective to prevent losses of bioactive compounds of interest in the cold storage period, presenting lower results in relation to the pasteurization treatment as anthocyanins, total of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity measured by ABTS and DPPH (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/09690-1 - Assessment oxidative stability of native fruit pulps Submitted To The Process of Radiation
• Grantee: Ana Carolina Leme Castelucci
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate