The 19th Gums & Stabilisers for the Food Industry Conference: Hydrocolloid MultifunctionalityThis research seeks to better understand the food matrix microstructure that impacts on
carotenoid bioaccessibility of two Brazilian native fruits Pitanga and Buriti while developing
emulsioned oral delivery systems of its compounds. Buriti is a fruit produced by an Amazonia
palm tree. Its pulp is very rich in β-carotene which is approximately 400 µg/g fresh weight1
.
Pitanga originates from Atlantic forest and has high amounts of lycopene (approx. 71 µg/g in
ripened fruit)1
. These hydrophobic plant pigments have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and
anticancer activity. However, these desired health benefits are limited by bioaccessibility
aspects, mainly their physical location and structure in fresh fruits and its products2
.
Emulsions have been largely studied as oral delivery systems for hydrophobic bioactives
compounds such as β-carotene. Also, the concept of excipient foods is an innovation in food
science and technology research2
. Buriti and Pitanga freeze dried pulps were submitted to
the following experiments: 1) experimental design testing ultraturrax and ultrasound for
carotene release; 2) emulsion formation by Tween 80 or Whey Protein Isolate at 1 % and
2 % surfactant concentration; 3) microstructure study of fresh pulps and emulsions. For
carotene determination, it was applied a microscale extraction and HPLC-PDA analysis
based on Porcu and Rodriguez-Amaya (2008)3
. Processed pulp and fruit emulsions
microstructure was assessed by microscopy (brightfield, fluorescence and confocal),
rheology and turbidity. Main results showed that ultrasound processing have more impact on
tissue fragmentation, cell disruption and carotene release than ultraturrax (p<0.05) and is
indispensable for fruit emulsion formation. Microscopy study clearly elucidate that most
carotenes are entrapped inside cell walls and must be released for incorporation into lipid
micelles. Ultraturrax (15000 rpm) and ultrasound (20 kHz, 40 % amplitude) treatment
released up to 50 % of initial carotenoid. After emulsion formation, surfactant do not link only
to the internal oil and external water, it also interacts with the carbohydrate from cell walls
mainly cellulose that are in suspension – forming a gel-like structure – that was
demonstrated by confocal microscopy. The obtained Buriti and Pitanga emulsions have high
potential for the development new products with more bioaccessible β-carotene and
lycopene.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
