Phytochemical screening and DPPH radical scavenging activity of three morphotypes of Mauritia flexuosa L.f. from Peru, and thermal stability of a milk-based beverage enriched with carotenoids from these fruits

Ivan Best; Sandra Casimiro-Gonzales; Alan Portugal; Luis Olivera-Montenegro; Luis Aguilar; Ana María Muñoz; Fernando Ramos-Escudero

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05209

Phytochemical screening and DPPH radical scavenging activity of three morphotypes of Mauritia flexuosa L.f. from Peru, and thermal stability of a milk-based beverage enriched with carotenoids from these fruits

Heliyon. 2020 Oct 13;6(10):e05209. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05209. eCollection 2020 Oct.

Authors

Ivan Best^{1

2}, Sandra Casimiro-Gonzales³, Alan Portugal³, Luis Olivera-Montenegro², Luis Aguilar^{1

4}, Ana María Muñoz¹, Fernando Ramos-Escudero^{1

4}

Affiliations

¹ Unidad de Investigación en Nutrición, Salud, Alimentos Funcionales y Nutracéuticos, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (UNUSAN-USIL), Calle Toulon 310, 15024 Lima, Peru.
² Grupo de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación en Alimentos, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Av. La Fontana 550, 15024 Lima, Peru.
³ Instituto de Ciencias de los Alimentos y Nutrición (ICAN USIL), Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Campus Pachacamac, Sección B, Parcela 1, Fundo La Carolina, Pachacámac, Lima, Peru.
⁴ Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Av. La Fontana 750, 15024 Lima, Peru.

Abstract

Mauritia flexuosa L.f. is a palm tree which presents great morphological variability (morphotypes), represented mainly by the mesocarp color of its fruits. The objective of the study was to characterize the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of three morphotypes of Mauritia flexuosa L.f. ("Yellow", "Colour" and "Shambo") of greater economic importance in the Peruvian Amazon. "Shambo" showed a significantly high content of bioactive compounds (total phenolics, flavonoids and carotenoids) and DPPH radical scavenging activity compared to the "Yellow" and "Colour" morphotypes (p ≤ 0.05). There was a significant correlation between DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolics, flavonoids and carotenoids (p ≤ 0.01). Furthermore, milk-based beverages enriched with carotenoids of those morphotypes of Mauritia flexuosa L.f. have been shown to be a good source of bioactive compounds for use in the food industry. The milk-based beverages enriched with carotenoids of those morphotypes of Mauritia flexuosa L.f. showed higher lightness (L∗) and yellowness (b∗).

Keywords: Carotenoid; Food analysis; Food science; Food technology; In vitro antioxidant activity; Mauritia flexuosa; Natural product chemistry; Peru; Phenolic; Thermal stability.