This study aimed to evaluate the behavior of the bioactive compounds and the antioxidant activity of raw mangaba fruit (Hancornia speciosa Gomes), in addition to the influence of preservation methods (freezing, lyophilization, and foam layer drying) on these biocompounds. Samples were evaluated for ascorbic acid, phenolic compound, and carotenoid content and total antioxidant activity by the DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP methods. The analyses were performed in triplicate for each sample and the results were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation. A significant correlation was observed between the content of total phenolic compounds and the total antioxidant activity, as determined by the FRAP method, which showed that the content of ascorbic acid contributed to the antioxidant activity of the samples. The lyophilization process produced the best results for ascorbic acid (372.80 mg/100 g), phenolic compounds (408.86 mg AGE/100 g), and carotenoids (0.19 mg/100 g). Therefore, as mangaba may be consumed as both a fresh fruit and in a processed form, new markets can be conquered, enabling the fruit to be used as functional food.

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Common beans have high content of protein and can be used as source for obtaining bioactive peptides which are compounds that exhibit an effect on body functions or conditions and may influence human health. This study was undertaken to examine the antioxidant and antiperoxidative potential of naturally-occurring peptides from easy-to-cook (ETC) and hard-to-cook (HTC) beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, cv BRS Pontal). The extracted proteins were partially purified using ultrafiltration membranes. Thereafter, the antioxidant activity of the produced fractions was analyzed by DPPH and FRAP methods. The lipid peroxidation was measured by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) analysis. Results evidenced that the antioxidant potential was highly improved after ultrafiltration, especially for those fractions containing molecules with low molecular weight. Peptide fractions (F3-10kDa) from ETC beans exhibited a better ability to inhibit the reactive oxygen species formation when compared to the synthetic antioxidant BHT, which corroborates their antioxidant role and protection against lipid peroxidation. Regarding the peptide fractions from HTC beans, the samples had similar lipid peroxidation to BHT in the tested concentration range (200 to 600μg). The HTC phenomenon did not seem to affect definitively the bioactivity of the bioactive peptides, suggesting that it is possible to use these components as an alternative for the use of the grains affected by the hardening process.

The processing of agro-industrial raw materials results in ∼40% of the waste of everything that is processed, including what is generated in operations carried out in the field, during processing, logistics, retail, and post-consumption. In this sense, there is a need for processes aimed at the full use of materials including the use of waste and/or its crude or isolated/purified fractions. Appropriate processing of waste can contribute to improving the economic viability of the food processing industry and help prevent the accumulation of waste and environmental pollution. In this sense, this chapter provides an overview of the main industrial residues and by-products as a source of components for the formulation of functional foods, as well as for obtaining nutraceutical and biopolymer components.