Chemical Composition and Bioactive Compounds of Cashew Apple Juice and Bagasse from Colombian Varieties

Abstract

Cashew apple (CA) is an agricultural by-product that is obtained in the production of cashew nuts. CA is known due to its important content of vitamin C, bioactive compounds, and constitutive and non-constitutive sugars. The regional 8315 and Mapiria tree varieties can be found widely harvested in Colombia. However, the composition of CA from these trees has not been studied. Therefore, the potential of CA in Vichada, (Coordinates: 6°11’N 67° 28’W), is still unexploited. The CA in the context of Colombia is considered as a residual. A developed industry based on the use of agricultural residues of cashew nut production does not exist in Colombia, yet, therefore this work aims to study the chemical composition and the bioactive compounds of CA harvested in Vichada. Fresh cashew apple juice (CAJ) and cashew apple bagasse (CAB) from regional 8315 (red) and Mapiria (yellow) varieties were studied. It was observed that the two varieties of CA under study presented a rich content in bioactive compounds, especially the CAB of Mapiria variety that contains an important content of ascorbic acid (204.60 mg/100g), and tannins (288.23 mg/100 g). These values can be related to the high antioxidant activity observed, especially on radical DPPH. Regarding fiber content, the most abundant components observed in the CAB were hemicellulose and cellulose. The protein content observed in the CAB was in the range of 8.69 to 9.13 wt.%, and the thermal stability of bagasse was found to be up to 150°C. Additionally, alkaloids were detected in the juice of both varieties. Mostly, the results of this work showed that Colombian CAs are an interesting source of bioactive compounds, nutrients, biopolymers, and natural fibers. The use of CA in the development of value-added products could reduce waste generation and promote innovation in this production chain.