Effect of Bactris gasipaes Flour Processing on Bioactive Compounds concentration using Aqueous Extract

The pupunha fruit (Bactris gasipaes) and its flour may present potential applications in various types of products, especially bakery products. However, no studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of the drying process in the production of flour and the efficiency of bioactive compounds extraction with a non-toxic solvent. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the drying process and use of water as solvent for extracting phenolic compounds. Four drying conditions were used to obtain flour: oven drying (OD), cooking and oven drying (COD), freeze drying (FD) and cooking and freeze drying (CFD). The dried fruits were ground in a knife mill, and the flours were standardized to 16 mesh. Total phenolics compounds were quantified using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and antioxidant potential was quantified using the Iron Reduction Power (FRAP) method. The total phenolic compounds result for the four flours (OD = 3.44b ± 0.02; COD = 4.18a ± 0.06; FD = 3.30b ± 0.12; CFD = 4.28a ± 0.28 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g of dry residue) and antioxidant potential (OD = 0.18c ± 0.01; COD = 0.27b ± 0.02; FD = 0.19c ± 0.01; CFD = 0.29a ± 0.02 μmol Trolox equivalent/g dry residue) demonstrate not only that there was a high extraction efficiency, but that the processing had a significant effect on the antioxidant properties. These results indicate that a non-toxic and safe extraction method can be used for this food matrix, as well as showing greater interactions with bioactive compounds from fruits that have been cooked before the drying process.