Utilization of by-products of endemic fruits: Encapsulation of proteolytic extracts of guamara (Bromelia pinguin) and cocuixtle (Bromelia karatas) by electrospraying

Abstract

The aim of this work was to evaluate and study the specific proteolytic activity, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory capacity of proteolytic extracts obtained from peel and seeds of Bromelia pinguin and Bromelia karatas, as well as the effect of encapsulation on these properties. Proteolytic extracts of by-products from B. pinguin and from B. karatas with high specific proteolytic activity were encapsulated by electrospraying with agave fructans with a high degree of polymerization. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity of the capsule was analyzed in addition to its photostability. Encapsulation efficiency was assessed using scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry, and differential scanning calorimetry in the capsules of B. pinguin peel extracts with its high specific proteolytic activity. The antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory capacity decreases when the extract was encapsulated, showing stability during storage. With regard to the photostability of the capsules, the high degree polymerization agave fructans protected the compounds. The micrographs show capsules with spherical and smooth morphology, the encapsulation efficiency was 97%, and the glass transition temperature of the capsule was 160.5 °C. These results open a window of possibilities in which the use of these encapsulated by-products can be considered in the food industry as well as in the pharmaceutical industry.