Dados do Trabalho

Título

Evaluation and determination of quality parameters in the extraction of betacyanines from pitaya peels (Hylocereus polyrhizus) from the Paraense Amazon

Introdução

Faced with the increasing demand for sustainable development and the use of natural pigments, food industries face significant challenges in optimizing extraction conditions and preserving the properties of these valuable bioactive compounds. These are notoriously sensitive to light, oxygen, water activity (aw), and elevated temperatures. The study aimed to establish the ideal parameters for extracting total betacyanins from pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) peels adapted to the Amazon biome.

Material e Métodos

The plant material donated by the Pará agribusiness Cooperativa Agrícola Mista de Tomé Açú (CAMTA) was sanitized and evaluated for proximate determination, pH, total acidity (TA), aw, and color coordinates (L*, a* and b*). To obtain the extracts, 0.25 g of lyophilized material was used in 50 ml of distilled water or ethanol: water (90:10, v/v), by two extraction methods: conventional (shaker) and unconventional (ultrasound). Absorbance readings at wavelengths from 380 to 600 nm quantified the spectrometric profile.

Resultados e Discussão

The peels presented high moisture (89.44%), low ash content (1.30%), lipids (0.19%), proteins (0.02%), carbohydrates (9.05%), and total fibers as per the minimum established in Brazilian legislation (6 g/100 g) for foods that are sources of dietary fiber. pH and TA were 4.82 and 0.28g/100g, showing a higher and lower pH value for acidity in relation to previous studies. The aw was high, but compatible with the humidity results. As for color, values presented close to L* (17.21) and lower for a* (18.22) and b* (17.21) when compared with studies of the bark of Hylocereus polyrhizus. Regarding extraction, water was the most efficient solvent for obtaining total betacyanins, with a maximum absorption spectrum at 530 nm, indicating that the method is conventional (3 g for 30 min), in combination with the use of ultrasound (38 min), showed more significant interference in the concentration of total betacyanins (0.93 mg/g).

Conclusão

The results are promising for future investigations, establishing themselves as a basis for defining planning parameters aimed at optimizing the extraction of betacyanins to maximize the process's effectiveness. Thus, pitaya peels offer a sustainable alternative for obtaining betacyanins, using agri-food waste, cooperating with the circular economy, and reducing impacts on the ecosystem.