Natural colorants based on anthocyanins obtained from bioresidues

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Optimization and comparison of heat- and ultrasound-assisted extraction methods for anthocyanin recovery from Sicana odorifera fruit epicarp

Publication . Albuquerque, Bianca R.; Pinela, José; Pereira, Carla; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Oliveira, Izamara; Heleno, Sandrina A.; Oliveira, Beatriz; Barros, Lillian

This study is aimed at maximizing the recovery of anthocyanins from Sicana odorifera fruit epicarp by heat- and ultrasoundassisted extraction (HAE and UAE, respectively) and at evaluating the in vitro bioactive properties of the anthocyanin-rich extracts obtained under optimized conditions. The optimization process utilized response surface methodology (RSM) through a central composite rotatory design (CCRD), combining time, ethanol percentage, and temperature or ultrasonic power. Response criteria included extraction yield (determined by gravimetry) and total anthocyanin content (TAC, quantified by HPLC-DAD). Under global optimum conditions, HAE (62 min, 90 °C, 27% ethanol) recovered 281 mg TAC/g extract with a yield of 23% (w/w) extract, while UAE (23 min, 500 W, 40% ethanol) yielded 200 mg TAC/g extract and 26% (w/w) extract, thus confirming the models’ predictive capacity. Furthermore, although HAE has produced extracts with higher anthocyanin concentrations, the cost-benefit associated with the processing conditions of each method must be considered. Both extracts showed antioxidant activity by inhibiting thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and oxidative hemolysis, but did not show anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial effects. Overall, this study promotes the upcycling of fruit waste into new ingredients for the food industry and other sectors that use anthocyanins, in line with sustainability and circular economy principles.

2023Artigo científico

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Recovery of anthocyanins from Eugenia spp. fruit peels: a comparison between heat- and ultrasound-assisted extraction

Publication . Albuquerque, Bianca R.; Pinela, José; Pereira, Carla; Mandim, Filipa; Heleno, Sandrina A.; Oliveira, Beatriz; Barros, Lillian

Natural colorants have gained increased popularity among consumers and food producers due to their reputation as safer and healthier alternatives to commonly used artificial analogues. These natural pigments can be obtained from by-products resulting from food processing, such as the fruit peels of the Brazilian species Eugenia brasiliensis and Eugenia involucrata, thus contributing to the valorisation and circularity of these undervalued raw materials. Therefore, since these fruit peels present anthocyanin concentrations that justify their exploitation, this study aimed to optimize and compare the recovery of these pigments from these plant by-products using heat- and ultrasound-assisted extraction (HAE and UAE, respectively) methods. For process optimization, a central composite rotatable design coupled with response surface methodology was implemented, considering time, ethanol/water ratio, and temperature (for HAE) or ultrasonic power (for UAE) as relevant independent variables. While UAE resulted in higher extraction yields (40–42%, w/w), HAE led to higher anthocyanin contents (18 mg g−1 from E. involucrata and 323 mg g−1 from E. brasiliensis). Furthermore, the HAE global optimum involved only 2 min of processing. Both theoretical models were experimentally validated by applying the modelpredicted extraction conditions, and the obtained anthocyanin-rich extracts were analysed for colour and in vitro bioactive properties. In general, the extraction method did not greatly affect the colour or the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of the extracts. However, only E. brasiliensis extracts showed cytotoxicity on human tumour cell lines, which also stood out for their antioxidant activity, possibly due to the higher anthocyanin content. Thus, Eugenia spp. fruit peels could be an alternative renewable source of natural food colourants with bioactive properties. Nonetheless, since E. brasiliensis extracts displayed moderate toxicity towards normal cells, the toxicity threshold should be further investigated to ensure the safe exploitation of this raw material as a possible source of natural food colourants.

2024Artigo científico

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Entidade financiadora

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Número da atribuição

COVID/BD/152908/2022