Effects of Spray-Drying Parameters on In Vitro Functional Properties of Camu-Camu (Myrciaria dubia Mc. Vaugh): A Typical Amazonian Fruit

Effects of the spray-drying process using maltodextrin on bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of the pulp of the tropical fruit açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.)

Aҫai fruit is characterized by the properties of its bioactive compounds; however, this fruit is highly perishable and its compounds are sensitive when exposed to non-optimal environmental factors. Therefore, the objective of this study was to encapsulate the fruit pulp by spray drying to improve the nutritional value and extend the shelf life of the products derived from acai fruit. Maltodextrin was used as a wall material and the process was optimized to obtain the desirable values of the response variables. For this, a central compound design (CCD) was developed to determine the influence of temperature (110-170 °C) and the wall material proportion (5-15 %) on dependent variables: the retention of ascorbic acid, moisture percentage, hygroscopicity, solubility, water activity, and yield. Furthermore, the effects of spray drying on bioactive compounds (AA, TPC, TFC, TA, TCC, GA, CT, and QC) and antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH, and ORAC) were evaluated. The maximum design temperature (170 °C) and wall material proportion (15 %) significantly influenced the response variables where encapsulation was applied, with high ascorbic acid retention (96.886 %), low moisture (0.303 %), low hygroscopicity (7.279 g/100 g), low level of water activity (0.255), a water solubility index of 23.206 %, and a high yield of 70.285 %. The bioactive compounds analyzed and the antioxidant capacity presented significant retention values for AA (96.86 %), TPC (65.13 %), TFC (82.09 %), TA (62.46 %), TCC (7.28 %), GA (35.02 %), CT (49.03 %), QC (37.57 %), ABTS (81.24 %), DPPH (75.11 %), and ORAC (15.68 %). Therefore, it is concluded that the powder obtained under these conditions has desirable physical properties, and the drying process preserved a notable retention of bioactive compounds and their antioxidant activities.

Characterization and bioaccessibility assessment of bioactive compounds from camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) powders and their food applications

Camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) is a tropical fruit known for its content of bioactive compounds. This study aimed to evaluate physicochemically, morphologically, andsensorialpowders from camu-camu obtained by spray-drying at two inlet temperatures (150 °C and 180 °C) with three encapsulating agents (maltodextrin, whey protein and a 50:50 mixture of both) and by freeze-drying of whole fruit. The use of maltodextrin protected bet anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) and delphinidin-3-glucoside (D3G)), but whey protein showed a better protective effect on ascorbic and malic acids. These facts were confirmed during the storage stability test, finding that relative humidity is a critical variable in preserving the bioactive compounds of camu-camu powders. The powders with the highest content of bioactive compounds were added to a yogurt and a white grape juice, and then sensory evaluated. The bioaccessibility studies in gastric and intestinal phases showed better recovery percentages of bioactive compounds in camu-camu powders (up to 60.8 %) and beverages (up to 90 %) for C3G, D3G, ascorbic acid, and malic acid than in the fruit juice. Dehydration of camu-camu (M. dubia) is a strategy to increase the bioactive compounds stability, modulate the fruit sensory properties, and improve their bioavailability after incorporation in food matrices.

Camu Camu (Myrciaria dubia (Kunth) McVaugh): An Amazonian Fruit with Biofunctional Properties-A Review

Amazonian Camu camu fruit (Myrciaria dubia (Kunth) McVaugh) has been called a "superfruit" due to its high levels of bioactive and antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and vitamin C. The biofunctional properties of camu camu fruit (including pulp, peel, and seeds) have been well established through several in vitro and in vivo studies. Several reports confirmed the nutritious and biofunctional value of camu camu extracts or its food-derived products, exhibiting antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, antihypertensive, and antiobesity activity, contributing to quality life improvement. Other studies showed antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antihepatotoxic, antihemolytic, antimutagenic, and cell rejuvenation bioactivities. This Review summarizes the bioactive profile of camu camu fruit through the understanding of some physiological modulation processes and its contribution to the Amazon bioeconomy under the development of biofunctional food ingredients exhibiting health benefits.

Myrciaria Genus: Bioactive Compounds and Biological Activities

The Myrtaceae family is of angiosperms, imposing its size and economic, cultural, and scientific importance. The genus Myrciaria, belonging to this family, has 33 species currently accepted, many of which are research targets aimed at elucidating their bioactive compounds and biological activities. Most species of the Myrciaria genus have terpenes in their composition, mainly mono and sesquiterpenes, and phenolic compounds such as tannins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids. Other secondary metabolites are also observed, such as alkaloids, steroids, coumarins, saponins, and naphthoquinones. These bioactive compounds are closely related to these species' most diverse biological activities: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiproliferative, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, insecticide, metabolic, protective, and nutraceutical. This work aims to provide a review of secondary metabolites and medicinal properties related to the genus Myrciaria, thus stimulating further studies on the species of this genus.

Camu-camu [Myrciaria dubia (HBK) McVaugh]: A review of properties and proposals of products for integral valorization of raw material

This review aims to evaluate the production and processing chain of camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia), giving suggestions to maximize the valorization of raw materials, demonstrating new product possibilities from processing to distribution and highlighting the suggested contributions. It is clear that despite the camu-camu pulp has important properties, a large part of its raw material, considered waste (around 50%) and formed by important bioactive compounds, can give rise to new products, such as bioactive extracts to be used by pharmaceutical, chemical and food industries, ingredients for bakery products, dairy and several others sectors, which constitutes opportunities, in addition to contributing to the reduction of agro-industrial waste and the preservation of the environment.

Stability of camu-camu encapsulated with different prebiotic biopolymers

BACKGROUND

A viable possibility for the best use of bioactive compounds present in camu-camu, fruit native to the Amazonian rainforest, is the preparation of microcapsules using different biopolymers by the spray-drying technique, which would increase the possibilities for innovation in the food industry, as well as facilitate the application in different food matrices. In this context, the chemical, physicochemical, and morphological properties and stability of camu-camu extract (peel and pulp) spray-dried using maltodextrin, inulin, and oligofructose as encapsulating agents were investigated, as well as lyophilized camu-camu extract (CEL). Different relative humidities (22%, 51%, and 75%) and temperatures (25 °C and 45 °C) were evaluated.

RESULTS

The moisture, water activity, and solubility values varied from 18.4 to 107.9 g water per kilogram dry powder, 0.06 to 0.27, and 950.80 to 920.28 g microparticles per kilogram of water respectively. Retention of the bioactive compounds varied in the ranges 5.5-7.1 g per kilogram ascorbic acid fresh weight and 7.2-9.0 g per kilogram anthocyanins fresh weight. The increase in temperature and relative humidity during storage provided a significant decrease in the stability of the bioactive compounds for all treatments. However, the CEL presented higher water adsorption kinetics and degradation under all storage conditions, indicating the importance of the use of encapsulating agents.

CONCLUSION

In general, the prebiotic biopolymers used as encapsulating agents in the microencapsulation of extracts of camu-camu by spray-drying presented satisfactory results, suggesting that this technique is an effective strategy to increase the stability of bioactive compounds contained in fruits and vegetables. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Vitamin C stability in acerola and camu-camu powder obtained by spray drying

Abstract Acerola and camu-camu fruits possess high vitamin C content. However, since these fruits are little consumed in their fresh form, it is important to consider that vitamin C can be oxidized depending on storage conditions. Thus, this study aimed to produce acerola and camu-camu powders by spray drying to maintain the stability of their vitamin C content during storage. Acerola and camu-camu powders were characterized in relation to their physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant activity, and vitamin C concentration and stability under different storage conditions (30 °C and 40 °C, 75% relative humidity). In general, the powders were proven to be stable, with low water activity (< 0.40) and humidity (< 4.0 g/100 g powder), as well as high vitamin C concentrations (1593.2 and 6690.4 mg/100 g of powder for acerola and camu-camu, respectively). Furthermore, we observed a high antioxidant activity by ABTS●+, DPPH• and FRAP assays. The powders stored at lower temperature (30 °C) showed higher vitamin C stability. In conclusion, acerola and camu-camu powders produced by spray drying are potential sources of vitamin C and active compounds and are therefore suitable for several food industry applications.

Camu-camu seed (Myrciaria dubia) - From side stream to anantioxidant, antihyperglycemic, antiproliferative, antimicrobial, antihemolytic, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive ingredient

Camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) seeds are discarded without recovering the bioactive compounds. The main aim of the present work was to optimise the solvent mixture to extract higher total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of camu-camu seeds. The optimised solvent system increased the extraction of phenolic compounds, in which vescalagin and castalagin were the main compounds. The optimised extract displayed antioxidant capacity measured by different chemical and biological assays, exerted antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects against A549 and HCT8 cancer cells, antimicrobial effects, protected human erythrocytes against hemolysis, inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes and presented in vitro antihypertensive effect. Additionally, the optimized extract inhibited human LDL copper-induced oxidation in vitro and reduced the TNF-α release and NF-κB activation in macrophages cell culture. Thus, the use of camu-camu seed showed to be a sustainable way to recover bioactive compounds with in vitro functional properties.

Camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) from commercial cultivation has higher levels of bioactive compounds than native cultivation (Amazon Forest) and presents antimutagenic effects in vivo

BACKGROUND

Camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) is a typical Amazonian fruit and has high antioxidant capacity due to its high levels of vitamin C and phenolic compounds. This study aimed to determine the phytochemicals, antioxidant capacity and antimutagenic effects of camu-camu fruits with different maturity stages grown in dry (commercial cultivation) or flooded environments (native cultivation, Amazon).

RESULTS

Total polyphenols, ascorbic acid and in vitro antioxidant capacity levels were higher in ripe fruits grown in a commercial cultivation. The extracts from ripe camu-camu grown in a commercial cultivation exerted antioxidant effects and high percentage of protection against doxorubicin and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in all tested systems (liver, bone marrow and gut), for three camu-camu extract concentrations (17, 85 and 170 mg kg^-1 body weight), as follows: bone marrow minocronucleus (37.91%, 41.75%, 43.95%); micronucleus gut test (61.01%, 64.40%, 50.28%); apoptosis index (60.26%, 62.44%, 58.22%); comet assay through the tail moment (71.64%, 72.31%, 70.70%), percent DNA in the tail (64.54%, 68.75%, 76.79%) and tail intensity (76.43%, 81.02%, 68.33%).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study contribute to increasing the production of camu-camu fruits grown in dry environments and their use as a health-promoting food. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

The uniaxial and coaxial encapsulations of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) concentrate by electrospinning and their in vitro bioaccessibility

Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) is rich in polyphenols which are known to be protective agents against several diseases. Polyphenols are highly sensitive against temperature, pH, oxygen, and light conditions, leading to low bioaccessibility. In this study, polyphenols of sour cherry concentrate (SCC) were encapsulated by uniaxial or coaxial electrospinning with gelatin or gelatin-lactalbumin. Results showed that phenolic acids had higher encapsulation efficiencies than anthocyanins. Encapsulation efficiencies were found as 89.7 and 91.3% in terms of phenolic acids and 70.3 and 77.8% in terms of flavonoids for the uniaxially electrospun samples with gelatin and gelatin-lactalbumin, respectively. The content of polyphenols in SCC decreased after intestinal tract whereas all electrospun samples showed improved bioaccessibility. According to in vitro digestion results, electrospinning encapsulation provided 8 times better protection of cyanidin-3-glucoside compared to the non-encapsulated SCC. Results showed that especially coaxial electrospinning encapsulation is an effective method for sour cherry polyphenols.