Abstract
Currently, açai is one of the most important fruits present in the world. Several studies have demonstrated its high content in phenolic compounds and anthocyanins. Both of them are responsible of interesting properties of the fruit such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant or anticancer. In the present study, two optimized pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) methods have been developed for the extraction of anthocyanins and total phenolic compounds from açai. A full factorial design (Box–Behnken design) with six variables (solvent composition (25–75% methanol-in-water), temperature (50–100 °C), pressure (100–200 atm), purge time (30–90 s), pH (2–7) and flushing (50–150%)) were employed. The percentage of methanol in the extraction solvent was proven to be the most significant variable for the extraction of anthocyanins. In the case of total phenolic compounds, the extraction temperature was the most influential variable. The developed methods showed high precision, with relative standard deviations (RSD) of less than 5%. The applicability of the methods was successfully evaluated in real samples. In conclusion, two rapid and reliable PLE extraction methods to be used for laboratories and industries to determine anthocyanins and total phenolic compounds in açai and its derived products were developed in this work.
Highlights
Açai is the fruit of a tropical palm tree (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) that is native to northern SouthAmerica, and which usually grows in humid lowland forests [1]
The aim of the present work is the development and validation of new pressurized liquid extraction methods for the study of total anthocyanins and total phenolic compounds in açai, with the purpose of providing a rapid and reliable extraction method that could be used in quality control laboratories
These results indicate that the extraction variables control the final extract composition, in terms of recovery of anthocyanins, and that the experimental conditions can be managed, to optimize the extraction of total anthocyanins from açai
Summary
Which usually grows in humid lowland forests [1] It is a spherical dark grape with a size of around 1.0–1.8 cm [2]. This fruit is one of the most famous fruits of the Amazonian estuary, due to its nutritional properties (high contents of carbohydrates, proteins, fats and fibers) [3,4]. During the last few years, it has been discovered that red or purple colors are characteristic of fruits with a high content of bioactive compounds [6,7,8,9], and this is the reason for why açai has been deeply studied [10,11,12,13]. Some researchers have discovered that it is one of the richest fruits in terms of natural antioxidants (anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, vitamins, etc.), among all of the fruits and vegetables known to date [14,15,16]
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