Substitution of artificial colors by carotenoids from Brazilian fruits: innovative technological responses for food applications

Abstract

Consumer demands for the purchase of processed foods have become increasingly greater, specially whrn it comes to the use of food additives, with a growing trend towards the search for clean label and/or 100% natural foods. In this context, the demand for alternatives to synthetic dyes has become urgent. In order to achieve this objective, different strategies are devised aiming at the application of natural dyes in industrialized foods, in order to maintain stability and color under adverse conditions of industrial processing. The development of new extraction methods to replace the use of volatile organic solvents is one of the trends for obtaining extracts of natural pigments. Thus, the objective of this project is to obtain carotenoids extracts from pequi (Caryocar brasiliense) to replace the synthetic yellow dye tartrazine and pitanga (Eugenia uniflora) to replace red 40, using high-performance extraction methods using ionic liquids such as green extractors. For this, four ionic liquids (ILs) will be tested, two of commercial origin and two synthesized in the laboratory, the two best being selected for the optimization of the extraction using the technique of experimental planning and response surface. The qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the carotenoids extract obtained will be carried out by HPLC-PDA-MS/MS and evaluated for their antioxidant activity and thermal stability. The extraction methods will be optimized aiming at the reuse and recovery of ILs and, later, applied in model systems of nanocapsules and biotints for 3D printing. The products obtained will be characterized and evaluated for color stability, bioaccessibility and uptake in a cell model (CACO2). The set of these results will allow us to define whether the carotenoids extract from pequi and pitanga are efficient alternatives to replace the artificial dyes tartrazine yellow and red 40. (AU)