Food Science and Technology

Biography

Biography: Gloria Edith Guerrero Álvarez

Abstract

Globally, the cocoa husk is the largest byproduct of the chocolate industry, with Colombia being the fifth producer country in Latin America. Currently, there is a growing trend in studies related to this type of waste and its possible USES as: source of soil fertilizers, food for birds and animals, source of pectin and gums, processing of activated charcoal, processing of infusions, obtaining dietary fiber and bioactive compounds. The following study was carried out in order to take advantage of the cocoa husk to obtain phytosterols and evaluation of their antioxidant activity by three methods. Therefore, we obtained the nonpolar extract and its unsaponifiable fraction, we implemented a method for the extraction in solid phase of phytosterols, and its identification was made of gas chromatography mass spectrometry, by comparing the retention times with the standards Stigmasterol, βsitosterol, ,5α-Cholestane, Cholestanol and Ergosterol, as well as by comparing the pattern of fragmentation of the mass spectrum. Quantification was performed using the external standard method with a concentration range of 0.1-10 PPM. According to the standards used for the calibration curves, it was possible to quantify β-sitosterol (429.04mg 100g-1 of unsaponifiable matter) and Stigmasterol (83.68mg 100g-1 of unsaponifiable matter). Finally, the antioxidant activity of the unsaponifiable fraction was determined by DPPH, FRAP and ABTS, according to the methods used the antioxidant capacity was 4.768410-3 + 3.73 10-5 (mm et 100g1), 0.39487 + 0.02156 (mg Trolox 100g-1) and 7.3062 10-4 + 3.1690 10-6 (mm et 100g-1), respectively. The results obtained previously indicate that this byproduct could be a source of compounds with antioxidant activity and obtaining phytosterols, which are used in the industry as nutritional additives, generating an added value to this material.