Bioactive compounds and value-added applications of cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum Schum.) agroindustrial by-product

Abstract Cupuassu is a fruitful species from the Amazon basin with great economical potential, due to the multiple uses of its pulp and seeds in the food and cosmetic industries. This fruit generates large amounts of solid waste, which, despite of its high content of bioactive compounds, is discarded in the environment. Therefore, with the aim of reusing these wastes and adding economic value, we investigated the nutritional potential of the seed by-product resulting from industrial cupuassu oil extraction. The by-product was submitted to green extraction, and its contents of bioactive compounds were quantified by HPLC. The extract had a total polyphenol content (16.9 ± 1.8 mg/gDM) and an antioxidant activity, ABTS + (151.0 ± 5.5 mg/100 g) and DPPH. (85.4 ± 1.7 mmol/L). HPLC analysis of the extract identified epicatechin and glycosylated quercetin as the major flavonoids. This by-product shows great potential for being used as a source of the ingredients of high nutritional value, especially dietary fiber and polyphenols.摘要：古布阿苏（Cupuassu）是亚马逊流域的丰产物种，其果肉与种子可广泛应用于食品及化妆品工业，因此具备极高的经济潜力。该果品加工过程中会产生大量固体废弃物，尽管此类废弃物富含生物活性化合物，却仍被随意丢弃至环境中。为实现这类废弃物的资源化利用并提升其经济价值，本研究针对工业古布阿苏籽油提取工序产生的种子副产物的营养潜力展开探究。研究采用绿色提取法处理该副产物，并通过高效液相色谱（High Performance Liquid Chromatography, HPLC）对其中的生物活性化合物含量进行定量检测。提取物的总多酚含量为(16.9 ± 1.8) mg/g干重，同时具备抗氧化活性：ABTS+自由基清除能力为(151.0 ± 5.5) mg/100g，DPPH·自由基清除能力为(85.4 ± 1.7) mmol/L。HPLC分析鉴定出提取物中的主要黄酮类成分为表儿茶素与槲皮素糖苷类化合物。该副产物具备作为高营养价值原料来源的巨大潜力，尤其可作为膳食纤维与多酚类物质的优质来源。