Effects of cold plasma on avocado pulp (PerseaamericanaMill.): Chemical characteristics and bioactive compounds

Abstract

The effects of cold plasma on the enzymatic activity, color, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity of avocado pulp with lime extract (PL) and without extract (PW) were studied. The experimental conditions applied varied with regard to time (10, 20, and 30 min) and gas flow (10, 20, and 30 ml). The gas flow combination of 20 ml/20 min applied in PL was efficient for reducing POD and PPO activities and browning index as well as for color maintenance. Cold plasma increased the phenolic and carotenoid levels in PW in T1 and T2 (gas flow 10 ml/10–30 min) and in PL in T3 and T8 (gas flow 30 ml/10 min and 20 ml/30 min), which contributed to the improvement in antioxidant activity. The phenolic showed a strong correlation with ORAC-H in PL (0.85) and PW (0.75). Myristic and palmitic acid were reduced after applying cold plasma, however, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic increased the content. It is concluded that the synergistic effect of lime extract in avocado pulp with cold plasma technology is efficient at maintaining the quality characteristics and improving the bioactive content. Practical applications Cold plasma processing is an alternative method of effective maintenance for enzyme control, and it also shows promising results in the conservation of chemical quality and in increasing the levels of bioactive compounds and increasing the antioxidant capacity in fruit products, such as avocado pulp. Avocado has gained prominence in the market due to knowledge of its nutritional characteristics; however, its commercialization is hampered mainly by a high concentration of enzymes that cause enzymatic browning, such as polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase, which favor the appearance of degradation reactions, compromising the quality of the fruit. Available information on the effect of this conservation technology on this type of matrix has not been found, and this is one of the first studies to address the effect of cold plasma processing on avocado pulp, providing information for the food industry.