MANGO PEEL FLOUR (Mangifera indica L.) AS A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS FOR FOOD APPLICATIONS

Mango peel (Mangifera indica L.) is an agro-industrial by-product of interest for waste valorization because it contains phenolic compounds and other bioactive metabolites associated with antioxidant capacity. Studies show that the peel's chemical composition may vary by cultivar, maturation stage, and extraction conditions, directly influencing its antioxidant activity. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant potential of mango peel flour. The peels were sanitized, dried in a forced-air oven at 40 °C for 55 h, ground, and sieved through a 35-mesh sieve. To prepare the extract, add 2.5 g of flour to 100 mL of solvent (70% ethanol) at a 1:40 (w/v) ratio and agitate in a shaker at 200 rpm for 90 min at 25 °C. The extracts were then centrifuged at 8000 rpm for 10 min at 15 °C and filtered. Total phenolic compounds were determined using the FolinCiocalteu method, while antioxidant capacity was evaluated using the DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS methods. Mango peel flour had a total phenolic compound content of 31.340 ± 0.084 mg GAE/g, indicating a strong recovery of phenolic compounds under the extraction conditions used. The antioxidant responses were relatively consistent across DPPH and FRAP, with values of 245.757 ± 10.580 and 238.603 ± 5.365 μmol TE/g, respectively, whereas ABTS showed a lower value (204.042 ± 18.055 μmol TE/g). This suggests the extract contains compounds that contribute to both radical-scavenging and ferric-ion-reducing reactions, although their responses may differ based on each assay's chemical principle. The relationship between phenolic content and antioxidant activity supports the bioactive potential of mango peel flour, while the differences among assays highlight the importance of using complementary approaches for its characterization. Previous studies have also identified mango peel as a source of phenolic compounds and antioxidant constituents, with considerable variation by cultivar, maturity, drying, and extraction conditions. The combination of a high phenolic content and consistent antioxidant responses highlights mango peel flour as a potential source of bioactive compounds, providing a basis for its further investigation as a functional ingredient in food formulations.