Abstract
Natal plums (Carissa macrocarpa) are a natural source of bioactive compounds, particularly anthocyanins, and can be consumed as a snack. This study characterized the impact of freeze drying and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on the phenolic profile, antioxidant capacity, and α-glucosidase activity of the Natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa). The phenolic compounds were quantified using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode-array detector HPLC-DAD and an ultra-performance liquid chromatograph (UPLC) with a Waters Acquity photodiode array detector (PDA) coupled to a Synapt G2 quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) mass spectrometer. Cyanidin-3-O-β-sambubioside (Cy-3-Sa) and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (Cy-3-G) were the dominant anthocyanins in the fresh and freeze-dried Natal plum powder. Freeze drying did not affect the concentrations of both cyanidin compounds compared to the fresh fruit. Both cyanidin compounds, ellagic acid, catechin, epicatechin syringic acid, caffeic acid, luteolin, and quercetin O-glycoside from the ingested freeze-dried Natal plum powder was quite stable in the gastric phase compared to the small intestinal phase. Cyanidin-3-O-β-sambubioside from the ingested Natal plum powder showed bioaccessibility of 32.2% compared to cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (16.3%). The degradation of anthocyanins increased the bioaccessibility of gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, coumaric acid, and ferulic acid significantly, in the small intestinal digesta. The ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) activities, and inhibitory effect of α-glucosidase activity decreased in the small intestinal phase. Indigenous fruits or freeze-dried powders with Cy-3-Sa can be a better source of anthocyanin than Cy-3-G due to higher bioaccessibility in the small intestinal phase.
Highlights
IntroductionMarket knowledge and interest in nutritional quality, in healthier foods, is currently apparent in many communities
Freeze drying increased the b* value in Natal Plum Fruit Powder (NPFP) compared to the fresh Natal plum, and a similar increase was observed in strawberries, and may be due to the prolonged freeze-drying time which might have allowed enzymatic browning to occur [21]
To the best of our knowledge, the findings on changes in the phenolic components and antioxidants of freeze-dried indigenous fruit powders are limited during different simulated in vitro digestion phases
Summary
Market knowledge and interest in nutritional quality, in healthier foods, is currently apparent in many communities. Food suppliers are striving to develop innovative food products with functional powders. The projection is that global functional foods’ market size would increase in 2025 to US $275.77 billion, predominantly due to the increasing consumer demand for nutritional and fortifying food additives [1]. The market growth of global functional powdered drink concentrates increased by
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