In vitro antioxidant capacity evaluation of amaranth grains (Amaranthus cruentus)

Orientador: Flavia Maria NettoDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de AlimentosResumo: O amaranto se destaca por seu perfil protéico, rico em aminoácidos essenciais e pela presença de outros compostos tais como: fibras, esqualeno, tocoferóis, tocotrienóis e compostos fenólicos, que lhe confere propriedades especiais, incluindo propriedade antioxidante. A fácil adaptação da planta a diferentes condições climáticas, juntamente com as suas qualidades nutricionais e funcionais, aumentam o interesse em introduzir a cultura do amaranto no Brasil. Apesar de bem caracterizado quimicamente e de apresentar compostos com potencial fisiológico, poucos estudos foram realizados para avaliar o potencial do grão de amaranto como alimento funcional. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar a capacidade antioxidante dos diferentes produtos obtidos a partir do grão integral de amaranto (Amaranthus cruentus). Após a moagem e o desengorduramento dos grãos para a obtenção da farinha desengordurada, diferentes processos, incluindo a hidrólise com Alcalase, foram utilizados na produção dos diversos produtos de amaranto que foram posteriormente digeridos in vitro com as enzimas pepsina e pancreatina. Os efeitos dos processos e da digestão in vitro das frações protéicas, e o efeito dos compostos fenólicos totais na capacidade antioxidante, em extrato aquoso e metanólico, foram avaliados utilizando o ensaio da capacidade seqüestradora de radicais DPPH e o ensaio de ORAC. O teor de fenóis totais apresentou elevada correlação com a capacidade antioxidante quando avaliada no extrato metanólico. Entretanto, a correlação foi menor quando avaliada no extrato aquoso, sugerindo que os compostos hidrossolúveis podem interferir nas avaliações. A hidrólise com Alcalase elevou significativamente o potencial antioxidante das amostras, de 2 a 4 vezes a capacidade seqüestradora de radicais DPPH e de 13 a 15 vezes os valores de ORAC. A digestão in vitro aumentou a capacidade antioxidante medida por ambos os ensaios (até 7 vezes para a capacidade seqüestradora de radicais DPPH e 12 para o valor de ORAC), especialmente para o concentrado protéico e seus hidrolisados. O elevado teor de fenóis totais liberados e o aumento da capacidade antioxidante dos produtos de amaranto após a digestão in vitro sugerem que o mesmo ocorre após a digestão fisiológica. Os resultados sugerem que a inclusão de produtos de amaranto na dieta, especialmente concentrado protéico e seus hidrolisados, pode promover benefícios à saúdeAbstract: Amaranth is well known for its protein profile, rich in essential amino acids and the presence of other compounds such as fiber, squalen, tocols (tocopherols and tocotrienols) and phenolic compounds that are responsible for its special properties, including antioxidant capacity. The easy adaptation of the plant to different climate conditions, together with its nutritional qualities and functional properties, increase the interest to introduce the culture of amaranth in Brazil. Despite being well characterized chemically and exhibiting compounds with physiological potential, few studies have been conducted to evaluate the potential of amaranth grain, as a functional food. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of different products obtained from amaranth grain (Amaranthus cruentus). After milling and defatting the grain to obtain deffated amaranth flour, different processes, including Alcalase hydrolysis, were used to produce a variety of products that were digested in vitro with pepsin and pancreatin. The effects of the processes and of the digestion in vitro of the protein fractions, and the effect of the total content of phenolic compounds on the antioxidant capability in aqueous and methanolic extracts were evaluated using scavenging capacity of DPPH radical and ORAC assays. Total phenolic compounds content showed high correlation with the antioxidant capacity, when evaluated in methanolic extract. However, the correlation was lower when using the aqueous extract, suggesting that water soluble compounds may interfere in these evaluations. Hydrolysis with Alcalase increased significantly the antioxidant potencial, from 2 to 5 times the scavenging DPPH capacity and 13 to 15 the ORAC values. In vitro digestion increased the antioxidant capacity measured by both assays (up to 7 times for scavenging DPPH capacity and 12 times for ORAC assays), especially for protein concentrate and its hydrolysates. The high content of phenolic compounds released and the increase in antioxidant capacity after in vitro digestion of the amaranth products suggests that the same occurs after the physiological digestion. These results suggest that the inclusion of these products, especially concentrate and its hydrolysates, in the diet should promote health benefitsMestradoNutrição Experimental e Aplicada à Tecnologia de AlimentosMestre em Alimentos e Nutriçã

Antioxidant capacity of amaranth products: effects of thermal and enzymatic treatments

The effect of different process -defatting, protein concentration, thermal treatment, hydrolysis with Alcalase and in vitro digestion- on the antioxidant capacity of amaranth seeds was studied. The antioxidant capacity of the products was determined in methanolic and aqueous extracts and varied from 1.00 to 21.22 and 4.97 to 369.18 µ mol TE/g sample for DPPH and ORAC assays, respectively. The combination of protein concentration and hydrolysis with Alcalase led to products with higher antioxidant activity. However, after in vitro digestion, protein concentrate and its hydrolysate showed similar antioxidant capacity. A high correlation was observed between the antioxidant capacity and the total phenolic content for methanolic extracts, with r² values ranging from 0.6133 to 0.9352

Antioxidant capacity of amaranth products: effects of thermal and enzymatic treatments

The effect of different process -defatting, protein concentration, thermal treatment, hydrolysis with Alcalase and in vitro digestion- on the antioxidant capacity of amaranth seeds was studied. The antioxidant capacity of the products was determined in methanolic and aqueous extracts and varied from 1.00 to 21.22 and 4.97 to 369.18 µ mol TE/g sample for DPPH and ORAC assays, respectively. The combination of protein concentration and hydrolysis with Alcalase led to products with higher antioxidant activity. However, after in vitro digestion, protein concentrate and its hydrolysate showed similar antioxidant capacity. A high correlation was observed between the antioxidant capacity and the total phenolic content for methanolic extracts, with r² values ranging from 0.6133 to 0.9352.485493Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES