Cupuassu is a fruitful species from the Amazon basin with great economical potential, due to the multiple uses of its pulp and seeds in the food and cosmetic industries. This fruit generates large amounts of solid waste, which, despite of its high content of bioactive compounds, is discarded in the environment. Therefore, with the aim of reusing these wastes and adding economic value, we investigated the nutritional potential of the seed by-product resulting from industrial cupuassu oil extraction. The by-product was submitted to green extraction, and its contents of bioactive compounds were quantified by HPLC. The extract had a total polyphenol content (16.9 ± 1.8 mg/g DM ) and an antioxidant activity, ABTS + (151.0 ± 5.5 mg/100 g) and DPPH . (85.4 ± 1.7 mmol/L). HPLC analysis of the extract identified epicatechin and glycosylated quercetin as the major flavonoids. This by-product shows great potential for being used as a source of the ingredients of high nutritional value, especially dietary fiber and polyphenols. Practical Application:The by-product feature potential for its reutilization in different biotechnological processes.

Cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum Schum.) is a popular Amazonian fruit because of its intense aroma and nutritional value, whose lipid fraction is alternatively used in cosmetics. To preserve active principles and ensure their controlled release, extract was microencapsulated by spray drying. Influence of spray-drying conditions on microencapsulation of cupuassu seed by-product extract was investigated according to a 3-Box Behnken factorial design, selecting inlet temperature, maltodextrin concentration and feed flowrate as independent variables, and total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, antiradical power, yields of drying and microencapsulation as responses. Fitting the results by second-order equations and modelling by Response Surface Methodology allowed predicting optimum conditions. Epicatechin and glycosylated quercetin were the major microencapsulated flavonoids. Microparticles showed satisfactory antiradical power and stability at 5 °C or under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, thus they may be used to formulate new foods or pharmaceuticals.

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Processing of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) beans responsible for agricultural exports leads to large amounts of solid waste that were discarded, however, this one presents high contents of metabolites with biological activities. The major objective of this study was to valorise cocoa agroindustrial residue obtained by hydraulic pressing for extract rich in antioxidants. For it, the centesimal composition of residue was investigated, the green extraction was carried out from the residue after, the bioactive compounds, sugar contents and screaming by HPTLC were quantified for extract. The extract has a total polyphenol content of 229.64 mg/g and high antioxidant activity according to ABTS 225.0 μM/g. HTPLC analysis confirmed the presence in the extract, residue of terpenes, sesquiterpenes, flavonoids and antioxidant activity. These results, as a whole, suggest that the extract from the cocoa residue has interesting characteristics to alternative crops with potential industrial uses.

This work aimed at characterizing Arrabidaea chica dry extracts obtained by spray dryer, after blending with gum arabic and/or maltodextrin in different proportions. Thermogravimetry, derivative thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis were used to determine their thermal profile. Thermal analysis demonstrated that the blend containing 25% A. chica extract, 25% gum arabic and 50% maltodextrin had the strongest interaction between adjuvants and hydroalcoholic extracts, thus proving the best blending proportion. Infrared spectroscopy profile, which was used to infer the chemical composition of both the plant material and such a blend, showed typical absorption bands deriving from links of functional groups remained over the plant material. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a heterogeneous morphology of both dry extract and formulations with smooth surface and rough surface. Thermoanalytical techniques and spectrophotometry proved valuable tools to investigate physicochemical characteristics of formulations

The cocoa extract (Theobroma cacao L.) has a significant amount of polyphenols (TP) with potent antioxidant activity (AA). This study aims to optimise microencapsulation of the extract of cocoa waste using chitosan and maltodextrin. Microencapsulation tests were performed according to a Box-Behnken factorial design, and the results were evaluated by response surface methodology with temperature, maltodextrin concentration (MD) and extract flowrate (EF) as independent variables, and the fraction of encapsulated TP, TP encapsulation yield, AA, yield of drying and solubility index as responses. The optimum conditions were: inlet temperature of 170 °C, MD of 5% and EF of 2.5 mL/min. HPLC analysis identified epicatechin as the major component of both the extract and microparticles. TP release was faster at pH 3.5 than in water. These results as a whole suggest that microencapsulation was successful and the final product can be used as a nutrient source for aquatic animal feed. Highlights Microencapsulation is optimised according to a factorial design of the Box-Behnken type. Epicatechin is the major component of both the extract and microcapsules. The release of polyphenols from microcapsules is faster at pH 3.5 than in water.

This work deals with the application of microencapsulated extract of cupuassu seed by-product to functionally enrich a food multimixture. The methodological bases applied were those of the Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC. Multimixture enrichment with the extract led to 54 and 19% increases in total dietary fiber and total fat contents, to slight decreases in carbohydrate and protein contents, while the total energy value was reduced by 6.4% due to the increase in unsaturated fatty acids content. The enriched multimixture showed a significant antioxidant activity and high levels of Ca 2+ , Fe 2+ , Zn 2+ and ω-9 and ω-6 unsaturated fatty acids. Nutritional and functional qualities of this multimixture, as well as its excellent stability against progressive temperature increases frequently occurring in food preparations, suggest its use as a basic ingredient for food supplementation. The results also indicate excellent technological properties of the multimixture to formulate new food products.

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