Use of green technology to optimize the extraction of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) bioactive compounds by supercritical CO2 and its application in healthier chicken hamburgers

Abstract

The objective of this BEPE project is to optimize the process of extraction of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) bioactive compounds by using a green technology (supercritical CO2) and to evaluate the application of the extract in healthier chicken hamburgers (animal fat will be replaced by a compound rich in unsaturated fatty acids). First, experiments will be carried out to optimize the conditions for obtaining natural extracts. The extracts will be evaluated about their antioxidant potential by different methodologies, the results will be used to calculate the levels of addition to the meat product. The hamburgers will be evaluated according to the following strategy: a negative control treatment (without addition of antioxidants), a positive control treatment (addition of the synthetic antioxidant sodium erythorbate) and two treatments with the addition of the respective natural extract, in different concentrations. The processed meat products will be characterized by different physical-chemical methodologies (proximate composition, texture, color, pH, and cooking losses), sensory acceptance and oxidative stability (lipid and protein oxidation and volatile compounds) among 18 days of refrigerated storage. (AU)