Nutritional Content and Antioxidant Properties of Pulp Waste from Daucus carota and Beta vulgaris.

This study reports the chemical composition and antioxidant potential of pulp waste from two vegetables, carrot (Daucus carota) and beetroot (Beta vulgaris). Different in vitro assays used for determining antioxidant potential of extracts of pulp wastes were: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, reducing power and total antioxidant activity by phosphomolybdenum method. Total polyphenols, tannins and antioxidative components such as vitamin C, total carotenoids and ß-carotene were analysed in the samples. The moisture content of samples ranged from 79 - 84%. The protein content was high in beetroot (13.23 mg/100g) and low in carrot (6.21mg/100g). Total polyphenols were higher in methanol extracts of samples (220-250 mg/100g) compared to ethanol and aqueous extracts. The antioxidant activity determined by the DPPH method exhibited 40% and 78% activity in methanol extracts of carrot and beetroot pulp waste (20 mg) respectively. Overall, the results suggest that carrot and beetroot pulp wastes can be exploited for their nutrients and antioxidant components and used for value addition in food formulations. Hence, these results pave the way for utilisation of bio-wastes from the food industry.

Simple HPLC method for resolution of curcuminoids with antioxidant potential.

Development of methodology for qualitative analysis and quantitative separation of individual curcuminoids in curcumin removed turmeric oleoresin (CRTO) and study of antioxidant activity of individual curcuminoids have been achieved in the present study. A simple HPLC protocol was outlined for optimal resolution of curcuminoids (I), (II), and (III) on an Exil-NH(2) column using isocratic elution with a mixture of isopropanol and water. CRTO is shown to be good source for the compounds II and III, as they are in an enriched form. The optimum resolution of the curcumin and its analogs in the present method developed, affords a facile method for estimation of individual curcuminoids in turmeric samples, which is an improvement over the standard AOAC method which estimates only total curcuminoids. The free radical scavenging capacity of pure curcuminoids I, II, and III, as determined by DPPH method at 100 ppm concentration was 88%, 80%, and 68% with IC(50) values being 56, 62, and 73 ppm, respectively. Their antioxidant potential could render them useful as important nutraceuticals or functional food ingredients.

Studies on the antioxidant activities of natural vanilla extract and its constituent compounds through in vitro models.

Vanilla extract was prepared by extraction of cured vanilla beans with aqueous ethyl alcohol (60%). The extract was profiled by HPLC, wherein major compounds, viz., vanillic acid, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and vanillin, could be identified and separated. Extract and pure standard compounds were screened for antioxidant activity using beta-carotene-linoleate and DPPH in vitro model systems. At a concentration of 200 ppm, the extract showed 26% and 43% of antioxidant activity by beta-carotene-linoleate and DPPH methods, respectively, in comparison to corresponding values of 93% and 92% for BHA. Interestingly, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol and 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol exhibited antioxidant activity of 65% and 45% by beta-carotene-linoleate method and 90% and 50% by DPPH methods, respectively. In contrast, pure vanillin exhibited much lower antioxidant activity. The present study points toward the potential use of vanilla extract components as antioxidants for food preservation and in health supplements as nutraceuticals.