Characterization of Natural Hepatoprotectors and Added Foods by Photoacoustic Spectroscopy and Colorimetry

Abstract

The current pandemic events make it necessary to develop foods with a higher content of nutrients that have a better impact on the health of the population. The improvement of daily food mixtures by adding nutraceutical materials with bioactive substances has a favorable effect on food products and consumers. In the present study, photoacoustic spectroscopy and colorimetry were used to characterize hepatoprotective plants and tortillas added with black radish (2 and 8%) and black radish and turmeric (3%). The main findings were: 1) Of the evaluated hepatoprotectants Silybum marianum, Peumus boldus and Raphanus sativus; the black radish peel is the one that presents the highest level of photoacoustic signal at the wavelength (250 -900 nm). 2) The “tortillas” characterized by PAS and colorimetry, presented a positive correlation between the photoacoustic signal at the wavelength of 450 nm. and the color variables a* and b*. Likewise, there is a correlation between the color parameter L* and the amplitude of the photoacoustic signal at the wavelength of 350 nm. 3). The dehydration process modifies the color of the tortilla, being the variable L*, the most affected and to a lesser degree a* and b*. The PAS technique and colometry permit the study of naturals hepatoprotectors, and blends of cornmeal added with black radish.