High-added value co-products obtained from pecan nut (Carya illinoinensis) using a green extraction technology.

Abstract: The aqueous (AF) and solid (SF) fractions obtained as co-products in the aqueous extraction of pecan nut oil assisted by Alcalase® were evaluated. In the AF, the degree of protein hydrolysis (DH) and the electrophoretic profile of protein hydrolysates, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity (reducing potential of the hydrophilic compounds, RPHC, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, DPPH; and inhibition of lipid peroxidation) were determined. The proximate composition and microstructure were evaluated in SF. The results indicated a DH of 3.9%. The sample treated with the enzyme (ET) showed a molecular weight of proteins lower than 15 kDa. The ET showed higher content of phenolics (726.3 mg GAE/100 g) and antioxidant capacity higher than the sample without enzymatic treatment. The SF showed a residual lipid content rich in oleic and linoleic acids. Furthermore, changes in the proximate composition and the microstructure were observed. The results indicate the potentiality of hydrolyzed fractions for application in food.

Dataset on the phytochemicals, antioxidants, and minerals contents of pecan nut cake extracts obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction coupled to a simplex-centroid design.

This article contains a dataset related to the research published in "The potential of the pecan nut cake as an ingredient for the food industry" [1]. A three-component simplex-centroid mixture design coupled with response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to generate statistical models and to analyze the dataset. The method was also applied to evaluate the effect of different solvents (ethanol, water, and acetic acid) on the extraction of bioactive compounds of pecan nut cake (PNC) and its antioxidant activity. Furthermore, simultaneous optimization of the solvent mixture was carried out to predict the optimum point with the best combination of solvents to obtain an extract with enhanced phytochemical composition, as well as high in vitro antioxidant activity. The maximization of total phenolic compounds, condensed tannins, and antioxidant activity of the PNC was predicted by the desirability function. A total of 80 interactions were run to provide the best condition for optimization. The combined use of the different solvents enables a higher recovery of the compounds than their isolated use. This dataset may help other researchers on the application of a mixture design to recover phytochemicals from a broad range of co-products such as defatted meals and other nut cakes, which are sometimes discarded as waste by many industries.

The potential of the pecan nut cake as an ingredient for the food industry.

Pecan nut [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] cake (PNC) is a co-product from the oil extraction industry and its potential as an ingredient for the food industry are not well known. In this work, the nutritional composition and the functional properties of PNC were studied. Additionally, the influence of different solvents (ethanol, water, and acetic acid) on the phytochemical composition and antioxidant capacity (reducing potential of the hydrophilic compounds - RPHC, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl - DPPH, and total reducing capacity - TRC) of PNC extracts were established using a simplex-centroid design. PNC is a source of carbohydrates, protein, and dietary fiber (40.5; 21.87 and 13.01 g 100 g-1, respectively). The PNC exhibited a low energy value when compared to the raw nut (398.8 kcal 100 g-1 and 645.54 kcal 100 g-1, respectively). Mg, Mn and Co (416.74; 23.21 mg 100 g-1 and 59.00 µg 100 g-1, respectively) were the main minerals identified in PNC. The PNC also presented functional properties such as emulsifying and oil absorption capacities and a great ability to absorb water. Using the proposed solvent mixture system, the content of total phenolic compounds and condensed tannins recovered from PNC ranged between 172.43 and 2744.24 mg GAE 100 g-1, and 253.42 to 1376.44 mg CE 100 g-1, respectively. The antioxidant capacity of the PNC extract was showed through its ability to reduce hydrophilic (172.06-1714.96 mg GAE 100 g-1) to transfer hydrogen atoms (12.55-74.11% scavenging activity) and lipophilic compounds (509.87-2070.80 mg QE 100 g-1) using RPHC, DPPH, and TRC methods, respectively. Combining ethanol, water, and acetic acid at 30 °C for 15 min, positively affects the extraction of bioactive compounds from PNC, as well as the antioxidant activity of the extracts. The physicochemical, functional, phytochemical, and antioxidant properties demonstrate that pecan nut cake may represent a potential ingredient or additive for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

Hibiscus sabdariffa anthocyanins-rich extract: Chemical stability, in vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activities.

Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx is a rich source of anthocyanins and other bioactive compounds but no study reported the effects of experimental conditions on the extraction of these chemical compounds. Therefore, the effects of time and extraction temperature on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx were evaluated. In addition, the effects of copigmentation and pH on the stability of anthocyanins were assessed and the cytotoxic effects (LC50, IC50, and GC50) of the extracts were determined in relation to tumor cell lines - Caco-2, HepG-2, HCT8, and A549. The temperature significantly influenced the total anthocyanins and flavonoids contents. The interaction between time/temperature influenced the total phenolic content and ascorbic acid. The t1/2 and the percentage of colour retention decreased markedly at temperatures above 80 °C. Variations in pH conserved the antioxidant activity of the anthocyanins, and the protonation-deprotonation process of the extract was reversible. The treatment of cells with purified anthocyanin extract or crude extracts at 5-800 µg mL-1 did not show significant cytotoxic effects on the cell lines, corroborating the chemical antioxidant effect of the extracts (DPPH assay). Cyanidin-3-glucoside, delphinidin-3-sambubioside, delphinidin-3-glucoside, and cyanidin-3-sambubioside were identified in the extracts by LC-ESI-MS.

Jabuticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora) Seeds: Chemical Characterization and Extraction of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Compounds.

This study was aimed to assess the effect of time and temperature on the extraction of antioxidant compounds from jabuticaba seeds (Myrciaria cauliflora cv. Sabará), to optimize the solvent proportion (water, ethyl alcohol, and propanone), and to characterize the extract according to the chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Proximal composition, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities were analyzed. The optimized solvent ratio of 60% water and 40% propanone provided a mean TPC of 8.65 g GAE/100 g seeds and the antioxidant activity toward 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was 82.79% ± 0.50%. Time and temperature parameters did not influence the yield of TPC. The gross seed extract was partially purified and both exhibited a high antioxidant activity and antimicrobial potential toward Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The purified jabuticaba seed lyophilized extract contained a higher (P < 0.05) TPC, o-diphenols, flavonols, and antioxidant activity measured by the DPPH assay and total reducing capacity as compared to the gross lyophilized extract. Electrospray ionization coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) data showed the presence of ellagitannins and ellagic acid in the extracts, which are probably the responsible for the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.