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CAROTENOID CONTENT, ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND SENSORY EVALUATION OF LOW‐CALORIE NOPAL ( OPUNTIA FICUS‐INDICA ) MARMALADE
Author(s) -
LEOPOLDO GONZÁLEZCRUZ,
SANTIAGO FILARDOKERSTUPP,
ARTURO BELLOPÉREZ LUIS,
NORMA GÜEMESVERA,
AUREA BERNARDINONICANOR
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of food processing and preservation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.511
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1745-4549
pISSN - 0145-8892
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4549.2011.00589.x
Subject(s) - carotenoid , antioxidant , food science , lutein , chemistry , nutraceutical , calorie , biochemistry , biology , endocrinology
In this study, low‐calorie nopal marmalades were analyzed to evaluate the effect of storage conditions on the carotenoids in terms of sensory and chemical properties and antioxidant activity. The results showed that the sensory characteristics of all nopal marmalades were similar to the marmalades that were elaborated with sucrose; the spreadability capacity of the nopal marmalades is better. The concentration of nopal influenced both the chemical characteristics as the concentration and antioxidant activity of carotenoids in the marmalade. The thermal treatment increased the extractability of the carotenoids, principally of β‐carotene and lutein. The temperature and storage time led to a decrease in the concentration of β‐carotene and lutein, while the concentration of α‐cryptoxanthin increased, possibly due to the dehydroxylation of lutein. In conclusion, the antioxidant properties of nopal are maintained in the thermal treatment used for the elaboration of the marmalades, and the product is stable for 3 months. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Nopal is an important vegetable that is used for human consumption in Central American countries for their high content of fiber, carotenoids and soluble carbohydrates. However, it is a seasonal vegetable, and its consumption is restricted to a few months of the year for the elaboration of typical foods. For this reason, low‐calorie marmalades can be an option for expanding the consumption of nopal in other countries throughout the entire year without significantly altering its nutraceutical properties (antioxidant activity, fiber benefits and provitamin A). On the other hand, the utilization of low‐calorie sweeteners permits this product to be consumed as a nutraceutical pudding without any restrictions.