From the field to the pot: phytochemical and functional analyses of Calendula officinalis l. flower for incorporation in an organic yogurt

Edible flowers have been used as ingredients because of their biological activities, taste, and overall appearance. This research was aimed to characterize the chemical composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of the marigold flower (Calendula officinalis L.) extracted with different proportions of water and ethyl alcohol, and the lyophilized extract with higher content of antioxidant compounds was incorporated into an organic yogurt. Results showed that the hydroalcoholic extract (50:50 v/v) presented the highest total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoids, and antioxidant activity (ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total reducing capacity (TRC), and Cu2+/Fe2+ chelating ability). Phenolic acids and flavonoids were quantified in the extract by LC-DAD, while 19 compounds were tentatively identified by ESI-MS/MS. The lyophilized marigold extract (LME) also inhibited 12% of Wistar rat's brain lipid oxidation in vitro, inhibited alpha-amylase, and alpha-glucosidase activities, but showed no cytotoxicity towards cancerous cells (HCT8 and A549). However, marigold flower extract protected human erythrocytes against mechanical stress. When added into an organic yogurt model (0 to 1.5%), LME increased TPC and antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and TRC), and the sensory analysis showed that the organic yogurt had an acceptance of 80.4%. Our results show that the use of LME may be a technological strategy to increase the content of bioactive compounds in yogurts811CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPES302763/2014-7; 305804/2017-0; 303188/2016-2sem informaçãoThe authors thank PROAP/CAPES for partially funding the research, Fundação Araucária and CAPES for the graduate scholarships, C-LABMU-UEPG and C-LABMU-SEBISA-UEPG (Complexo de LaboratóriosMultiusuários da UEPG) for the infrastructure used to perform the experimental work. D. Granato (process 303188/2016-2) and A. S. Sant’Ana would like to thank the National Council for Scientific and TechnologicalDevelopment (CNPq) (Grants #302763/2014-7 and #305804/2017-0

Núcleos de Ensino da Unesp: artigos 2012: volume 6: formação de professores e trabalho docente

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES