RESUMO
The use of clean technologies in the development of bioactive plant extracts has been encouraged, but it is necessary to verify the cytotoxicity and cytoprotection for food and pharmaceutical applications. Therefore, the objective of this work was to obtain the experimental data of the supercritical sequential extraction of murici pulp, to determine the main bioactive compounds obtained and to evaluate the possible cytotoxicity and cytoprotection of the extracts in models of HepG2 cells treated with H2O2. The murici pulp was subjected to sequential extraction with supercritical CO2 and CO2+ethanol, at 343.15 K, and 22, 32, and 49 MPa. Higher extraction yields were obtained at 49 MPa. The oil presented lutein (224.77 µg/g), oleic, palmitic, and linoleic, as the main fatty acids, and POLi (17.63%), POO (15.84%), PPO (13.63%), and LiOO (10.26%), as the main triglycerides. The ethanolic extract presented lutein (242.16 µg/g), phenolic compounds (20.63 mg GAE/g), and flavonoids (0.65 mg QE/g). The ethanolic extract showed greater antioxidant activity (122.61 and 17.14 µmol TE/g) than oil (43.48 and 6.04 µmol TE/g). Both extracts did not show cytotoxicity and only murici oil showed a cytoprotective effect. Despite this, the results qualify both extracts for food/pharmaceutical applications.
RESUMO
A completely randomized 23 factorial experimental design was used to optimize the process parameters for obtaining tucupi powder through spray drying. The effects of the process variables [inlet air temperature (IT), feed flow rate (FR), and maltodextrin concentration (MD)] on the product properties [moisture, water activity (aw), hygroscopicity, water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), total color difference (ΔE*), and ß-carotene content] were studied using the response surface methodology (RSM) and linear perturbation plot. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were obtained of the product. According to ANOVA and the regression coefficients (R2 > 0.90), the RSM models were significant and IT was the variable with the greatest impact on most of the responses. SEM shows that the powders obtained with higher IT and MD and lower FR were more uniform, with smooth and intact surfaces. The optimal conditions estimated for the process were IT at 214 °C, FR at 8.67 mL/min, and MD at 27%. Under those conditions, the product's minimum values of moisture (9.56 g/100 g), aw (0.101), hygroscopicity (37.45% d.b.), and ΔE* (17.05) and maximum values of WAI (6.68 g/g d.b.), WSI (84.77%), and ß-carotene (13.72 µg/g) were estimated.
