Preparation, encapsulation and application of extract of carotenoids obtained from the bark of guarana (Paullinia cupana)

Abstract

Brazil has a variety of still unexplored native fruits, such as guarana. With the tendency to reduce the waste and to take advantage of the residues generated in the industries, the bark of the guarana appears as a source of potential carotenoids for application. Carotenoids are an important group of natural pigments. They are among the most interesting components of the beneficial effects of food on human health. The search for natural pigments by the food industry, replacing synthetic dyes, has increased significantly over the past few years, mainly due to safety concerns. In order to overcome the high instability of these compounds, microencapsulation would be an important way to prolong shelf life and protect the properties of the material. Obtaining concentrated extracts of carotenoids may facilitate their use and administration, while their encapsulation may make them less susceptible to degradation, increasing its applicability. This process consists in the coating of an active material by one or more materials that form a wall, protecting the encapsulated compound from the external environment. There are several encapsulation techniques, among which spray drying has been the most employed. However, our research group has had promising preliminary results with a new encapsulation proposal where particles produced in spray dryer are coated in spray chiller. Thus, the objectives of this project will be to obtain the concentrated extract of carotenoids from the bark of guarana, transform it into powders produced by spray drying (control), cover the most promising particles obtained in the spray dryer using the spray chiller; characterize the particles and apply them in an extruded product (snack). (AU)