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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The fruits of Arbutus unedo L. have a crimson colour and are enriched with remarkable
concentrations of bioactive compounds such as anthocyanins and polyphenols. These fruits are
commonly used in the production of a Portuguese Protected Geographical Indication distillate called
“Aguardente de Medronho”. During this process, a solid pomace is generated and presently discarded
without valuable applications. In this work, two strategies have been developed for the valorisation
of A. unedo pomace. The first approach considers the extraction of polyphenols from this by-product
through the optimization of an ultrasound-assisted method using a Box-Behnken design coupled
with response surface methodology. The results indicate that the temperature and the percentage of
methanol, along with their interaction, significantly influence the total concentration of polyphenols
and the antioxidant activity of the extracts obtained. The optimal conditions identified consider the
extraction of 0.5 g of sample with 20 mL of a solvent containing 74% MeOH (aq), at a pH of 4.8,
maintained at 70 ◦C for 15 min. On the other hand, the second valorisation strategy considered
the use of A. unedo pomace in the development of functional cookies. The incorporation of 15–20%
pomace in the cookie formulation was well-received by consumers. This incorporation results in an
intake of ca. 6.55 mg of polyphenols per gram of cookie consumed, accompanied by an antioxidant
activity of 4.54 mg Trolox equivalents per gram of cookie consumed. Overall, these results encourage
the employment of A. unedo pomace either as a reliable source of extracts enriched in polyphenols or
as a nutraceutical active ingredient in functional cookies, thereby positively impacting human health.
Description
Keywords
Arbutus unedo L. Distillate pomace Ultrasound-assisted extraction Antioxidant activity Functional cookies
Citation
Foods 12 (19): 3707 (2023)
Publisher
MDPI