Janclei Pereira Coutinho

Fast method for capsaicinoids analysis from Capsicum chinense fruits

Chili peppers are widely utilized in the world as savory food additives due the pungency induced by the capsaicinoids. Also, these compounds have functional properties as antimutagenic, antitumoral, antioxidant and analgesic. These characteristics increase the interest in this compound class, hence the capsaicinoid analysis must be reproducible and accurate. This study aimed to develop and validate a fast, efficient and reproducible method to analyze capsaicinoids in Brazilian Capsicum chinense fruits. The extracts were obtained after an optimization step that indicated the condition 100% of methanol and 10min on ultrasound assisted extraction. The analyses were carried out in an ultra high performance liquid chromatographic system with detection by a photo diode array and mass spectrometer. The analytical method developed permits the separation of 8 capsaicinoids in 4min of time analysis expending only 2mL of solvent as mobile phase. The validation parameters evaluated for the method show the effectiveness and satisfactory performance to answer the analytical needs of this research area, presenting low values to relative standard deviation in repeatability and reproducibility and recoveries ranged from 88 to 112% for capsaicin and 89 to 109% for dihydrocapsaicin. In the extracts from different accessions of C. chinense fruits analyzed, the contents of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin were in the range of 156-1442μgg-1 and 26-478μgg-1 of fresh fruit, respectively, showing the large application of this method for quantification of the two major capsaicinoids in fast routine analysis and may be used to determine the concentrations of other minor capsaicinoids once appropriate standards are available.

Elaboração de farinha instantânea a partir da polpa de fruta-pão (Artocarpus altilis)

Among the species of short cycle crops, with great potential to be increased within the agribusiness of the Semi-Arid Bahia, the pumpkins are an excellent alternative for production. In this region where are found the lowest HDI of Brazil, and populations with high incidence of hypovitaminosis A, promising materials of pumpkins with high amounts of carotenoids have a chance to be good accepted and inserted into the irrigated agribusiness. The aim of this research was to identify accessions of pumpkins from the Active Germplasm Bank (BAG) of Cucurbitaceas from Embrapa Semi-arid with high amounts of total carotenoids and vitamin A. The amount of total carotenoids found by UV-vis spectrophotometry (445nm) in different accessions (A) ranged from 14.93mg g-1 (A4) to 290.62mg g-1 (A43), with average value of 366.60 31.21µg g-1. In the access with higher amounts of total carotenoids a percentage between 60-70 % were quantified as α- and β-carotene showing a total value of vitamin A of 1,182.39 gRAE 100g-1 (A40) and 1,828.84 gRAE 100g-1 (A43). These results demonstrate that the 48 accessions of pumpkins BAG studied show a big variation in the content of total carotenoids, and may represent some high source of vitamin A, which really increase the importance of identifying genotypes for production in large scale of lines segregant of vitamin A.This work aimed to develop an instant flour using the mesocarp of breadfruit, variety apyrena, and assess its physicochemical composition, as well as to develop a flour based puree and determine its potential sensory acceptance by potential consumers, employing the consumer testing. The in natura breadfruit presented moisture in dry basis, pH, soluble solids and total acidity values of 74.58%, 6.01, 5.6°Brix and 1.64%, respectively, while the instant flour presented moisture, pH, density, alcohol content, soluble acidity and water activity values of 9.4%, 5.55, 0.61 g mL-1, 2.098% and 0.538, respectively. The equation adapted from Brooker, used to adjust the drying behavior, was efficient to describe the process of breadfruit drying. The puree breadfruit presented good acceptability by the consumers, considering the sensorial attributes evaluated, except for color, and most of them declared that they would buy the product.

Comparative Study of Capsaicinoid Composition in Capsicum Peppers Grown in Brazil

Twenty different varieties of Capsicum pepper cultivars belonging to four species (Capsicum chinense, Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens, and Capsicum baccatum) were characterized in terms of their capsaicinoid and total phenolic content. The peppers were sown in a farm in the southeastern region of São Paulo State. The determination of capsaicinoids was performed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography. The total phenolic content was determined spectrophotometrically with the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Results were expressed as µg capsaicinoid/g fresh pepper and as Scoville heat unit. A wide variation was observed among the compositions of capsaicinoids. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin were the most abundant peaks. Capsaicinoids were not identified in the pepper varieties Cheiro Verde, Cambuci Verde, Cambuci Vermelha, and Biquinho. The spiciest pepper was Naga Jolokia (119,016 Scoville heat unit). Regarding the phenolic contents, a large variability was observed. Total phenolic content ranged from 0.35 mg gallic acid equivalent/g in Cambuci Verde to 3.06 mg gallic acid equivalent/g in Naga Jolokia. The current study may benefit consumers, the food, and pharmaceutical industries due to the increasing interest in pharmacological compounds present in hot and sweet Capsicum peppers.

Use of multivariate statistical techniques to optimize the separation of 17 capsinoids by ultra performance liquid chromatography using different columns.

In this work a multivariate statistical tool (Derringer and Suich optimization) was proposed for the separation of seventeen capsinoids (natural and synthetic) using the UHPLC-DAD chromatography. Capsinoids were analyzed at 280 nm. The variables optimized were the mobile phase (water (0.1% acetic acid as solvent A) and acetonitrile (0.1% as solvent B)), gradient time and flow rate. Two columns with different length (50 and 100 mm) were used for the chromatographic separation. The two columns used properly separated the seventeen capsinoids, however the 100 mm column length showed a better chromatographic separation with a shorter run time and smaller peak widths. These results provided better values of limit of detection and quantification for the 100 mm column length. The better conditions of separation with the 100 mm column length were established with: initial mobile phase with 41.8% of solvent B; 3.96 min of linear gradient time to reach 100% of solvent B; flow rate of 0.679 mL min(-1). A validation of the method has been done with excellent values of repeatability (RSD<1.92) and intermediate precision (RSD<3.92). The developed method has been applied to real samples. Capsiate has been identified and quantified in some varieties of peppers.

Brazilian Capsicum peppers: capsaicinoid content and antioxidant activity

BACKGROUND Capsicum peppers are known as a source of capsaicinoids, phenolic compounds and antioxidants. Brazilian Capsicum peppers are important spices used in foods worldwide. However, little information is available on the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of these peppers. RESULTS Capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity were investigated in extracts of three Brazilian peppers: Capsicum frutescens, C. chinense and C. baccatum var. pendulum, in two different harvest years and at two ripening stages. The bioactive compound content was dependent on harvest year, and changes in the concentration profiles were found for capsaicin. Mature fruits of C. chinense harvested in the first year had the highest capsaicin concentration (2.04 mg g-1 fresh pepper), and mature fruits of C. frutescens harvested in the same first year had the highest dihydrocapsaicin content (0.95 mg g-1 fresh pepper). Mature fruits of C. frutescens harvested in the first year showed the major total phenolic compound content (2.46 mg g-1 fresh pepper). The total phenolic compound content was directly related to antioxidant activity. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that phenolic compounds significantly contribute to the antioxidant activity of the investigated peppers. Also, these data add valued novel information that enhances current knowledge of Brazilian pepper fruits.

Multivariate optimization by statistical methods of ultra high performance liquid chromatography conditions for the separation of 17 capsaicinoids

In this work, multivariate optimization by statistical methods (Derringer and Suich optimization) was proposed in order to find the optimum conditions of an Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatograph with Diode Array Detection (UHPLCDAD) for the separation of seventeen capsaicinoids (natural and synthetic). Capsaicinoids were analyzed at 280 nm. The variables optimized were the mobile phase (water (0.1% acetic acid as solvent A) and acetonitrile (0.1% as solvent B)), gradient time and flow rate. Two columns with different lengths (50 and 100 mm) were used for the chromatographic separation. The two columns used properly separated fifteen of the seventeen capsaicinoids, but capsaicin (C) and N-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl) nonanamide (N9C) could not be separated. However the 50 mm column length showed a better chromatographic separation with a shorter run time and smaller peak widths. These results provided better values of limits of detection and quantification for the 50 mm column length. The better conditions of separation with the 50 mm column length were established with: initial mobile phase with 0% of solvent B; 8.12 minutes of the linear gradient time to reach 100% of solvent B; a flow rate of 0.8 mL min−1. A validation of the method has been done with good values of repeatability (RSD < 1.92) and intermediate precision (RSD < 3.92). The developed method has been applied to real food samples. Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin have been identified and quantified in all of the spicy foods analyzed.