Dados do Trabalho

Título

APPLICABILITY OF ULTRASOUND-ASSISTED MINERALIZATION FOR THE DETERMINATION OF TOTAL AND BIOACCESSIBLE CALCIUM IN RIPENED CHEESE

Introdução

Ripened cheeses are complex food matrices with a rich nutritional profile, including essential minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, and the comprehension of how these minerals are released and absorbed by the body is crucial for understanding their health benefits. Various mineralization methods are used to accurately quantify minerals by breaking down organic matter, and the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) is a promising method that applies reduced volumes of solvent and lower temperatures, effectively solubilizing inorganic elements while minimizing environmental impact. The present study optimized the best conditions for the mineralization of in natura (TRC) and in vitro digested (DRC) ripened cheeses with UAE procedure, for the determination of total and bioaccessible calcium.

Material e Métodos

Commercial ripened cheeses underwent homogenization and in vitro digestion assays following the INFOGEST 2.0 protocol. Optimization of UAE conditions utilized a 2^2 full-factorial design, varying diluted HNO3 volume (X1: 5 and 10 mL) and bath temperature (X2: 45 and 70°C). The sample mass (0.5 g) and UAE time (30 min for TRC, 1 h for DRC) were predetermined. Optimal UAE parameters were selected based on calcium concentration for comparison with a digester block procedure (BK), using 6 mL of diluted HNO3 for 2 h at 110°C and 2 h at 130°C.

Resultados e Discussão

In TRC, the main effects of X1 and X2 did not significantly affect Ca responses, suggesting any acid volume and temperature could ensure mineral release. However, in DRC, the interaction between X1 and X2 positively affected Ca content, indicating varying levels of volume and temperature could increase calcium levels. For comparison, TRC was mineralized at 5 mL and 70 °C, yielding 1122.07±11.79 mg 100 g-1 Ca, while DRC at 5 mL and 45 °C evidenced 511.43±0.97 mg 100 g-1 Ca, with 45.6% bioaccessibility. The BK procedure yielded similar results, with TRC at 1184.67±10.85 mg 100 g-1 Ca and DRC at 512.89±2.95 mg 100 g-1 Ca, showing 43.3% bioaccessible Ca.

Conclusão

The results highlight ultrasonic extraction's effectiveness in obtaining total and bioaccessible calcium from complex matrices, facilitated by cavitation phenomenon, with low temperatures and minimal solvent use.