Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Currently, there is a clear tendency to incorporate natural ingredients into food and
pharmaceutical formulations. Besides being well-accepted by consumers, these ingredients have less
adverse side e ects than their artificial counterparts. The pomegranate processing industry produces
large quantities of by-products that are discarded as bio-residues, despite containing bioactive
compounds. Accordingly, the epicarp of two pomegranate varieties (Mollar de Elche and Purple Queen)
was tested as a potential source of bioactive compounds with food application. The phenolic profile
was identified by HPLC–DAD–ESI/MS, revealing fourteen phenolic compounds in both varieties
(Purple Queen showed also three anthocyanins), with punicalagin isomers as the major compounds.
Nonetheless, Mollar de Elche presented greater antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Despite this
result, Purple Queen was selected to be tested as a new natural colouring and functionalizing ingredient
in a Brazilian pastry product. The incorporation of the selected extract maintained the nutritional
profile and provided a higher antioxidant activity compared to the traditional product. In this way,
this work confirmed the possible use of pomegranate epicarp as a natural ingredient in the food
industry, conferring dyeing and functionalizing e ects, and anticipating a possible valorisation of
this bio-residue.
Description
Keywords
Bioactivity Food application Pectin Phenolic compounds Punica granatum L
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Veloso, Felipe da Silva; Caleja, Cristina; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Pires, Tânia C.S.; Alves, Maria José; Barros, Lillian; Genena, Aziza K.; Barreira, João C.M.; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R. (2020). Characterization and application of pomegranate epicarp extracts as functional ingredients in a typical Brazilian pastry product. Molecules. ISSN 1420-3049. 25:7, p. 1-17