Preservation of the Polyphenolic Content and Antioxidant Properties of Rubus Glaucus Benth

Johana Velásquez Castro, Juan Pablo Arrubla Vélez*, Gloria Edith Guerrero Álvarez, Nathalia Cardona Hurtado

Faculty of Technology, School of Chemistry, Oleochemistry Research Group. Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, Pereira, Colombia.

Corresponding Author Email: juanpablo77@utp.edu.co

The Andes berry (Rubus glaucus Benth) has an ongoing production in Colombia and is considered a competitive market product with the potential for exportation and broad applications in agroindustry because of its high content of antioxidants, nutrients, and proteins, which are keys to a balanced diet. In this study, the effect of an Aloe vera gel coating on the preservation of the nutraceutical properties of the Andes berry was evaluated by measuring the antioxidant capacity and the total phenolic content of the fruit using the DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and Folin-Ciocalteu methods, respectively. The antioxidant activities in fruits without and with coating were 95.14 ± 3.28 mmol AAE 100 g-1 sample and 135.94 ± 1.09 mmol AAE 100 g-1 sample, respectively, after ten day of storage. The total phenolic content of the fruits with and without coating did not present significant differences, i.e., the phenol concentrations remained constant over time. Implementation of the gel coating is recommended as a low-cost and highly available option for the preservation of the Andes berry and its nutraceutical properties.

Antioxidant; Total Phenols; Mucilage; Edible Coating; Shelf Life

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