ANTIOXIDANT AND NUTRITIONAL POTENTIAL OF DEHYDRATED YELLOW PASSION FRUIT ALBEDO: A STRATEGY FOR UTILIZING AGROINDUSTRIAL BY-PRODUCTS

Yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis, Passifloraceae) is widely consumed in Brazil, but its processing generates amounts of waste, with the peel being the main byproduct. The albedo, the inner portion of the peel, is still underutilized despite its nutritional potential. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the dehydrated and ground albedo physically, chemically, and technologically, evaluating its potential as a functional ingredient. The fruits were obtained from produce markets in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region and processed at the Integrated Center for Food and Nutrition at the Federal University of Fluminense (CIAN/UFF). Analyses of centesimal composition, physicochemical parameters (pH, acidity, and water activity), and FTIR spectroscopy were performed. To determine the total phenolic compound content (Folin-Ciocalteu) and antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP), aqueous and ethanolic (2.5%) extracts were obtained via ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) for 15 minutes (40% amplitude; 5-s on/off pulses), centrifuged, and stored at −20°C. The analyses were performed in triplicate and evaluated using ANOVA and Tukey’s test (p < 0.05).The powder had low moisture content (6.47 ± 0.34%) and water activity (0.27 ± 0.00), indicating microbiological stability; high carbohydrate content (81.82 ± 0.90%), fiber (18.28 ± 0.32%), and ash (6.91 ± 0.69%); low levels of protein (3.98 ± 0.13%) and lipids (0.92 ± 0.07%); and an energy value of  278.36 ± 3.75 kcal/100 g; Physicochemical analyses indicated an acidic pH (4.31 ± 0.05) and acidity of 4.87 ± 0.06 g of citric acid/100 g. Among the solvents evaluated, the aqueous extract showed the highest recovery of bioactive compounds (p<0.05), with 187.99 ± 8.85 mg EAG/100 g of total phenolics and antioxidant activity of 1248.31 ± 39.5 µM ET/100 g (DPPH), 738.85 ± 83.9 µM ET/100 g (ABTS), and 5400.46 ± 84.14 µM EFS/100 g (FRAP). FTIR analysis revealed an O-H band at 3301.82 cm⁻¹, a C-H band at 2901.18 cm⁻¹, an ester carbonyl band at 1737.49 cm⁻¹, and an intense band at 1013.55 cm⁻¹, a profile of esterified pectic polysaccharides. The high carbohydrate and fiber content and low lipid content indicate a nutritional profile favorable for low-calorie, high-fiber functional formulations, similar to that described for yellow passion fruit peel flours to enrich baked goods. Furthermore, water proved to be the most efficient solvent for the extraction of water-soluble phenolic compounds, reinforcing the potential of the albedo as a source of bioactive compounds.The results support its value as a functional ingredient and a strategy for the sustainable use of passion fruit byproducts.