Avaliação comparativa do potencial de farelo de trigo comercial e pericarpo de pequi como substratos na produção de fibras com capacidade antioxidante

Abstract

Changes in society, with more insertion of women in labor market and increase in the economically active population reflexes have generated in eating habits. With this, it was observed the increased consumption of fast foods and processed products that present in composition many artificial compounds and a high content of simple carbohydrates, trans fats, cholesterol and sodium that can be directly related to the increasing number of people obese, cardiovascular diseases and some types of cancer. Therefore, the addition of fiber and antioxidant compounds in foods appears as a way to improve the power consumer, and to add value to these products. Brazil, as a large food producer, generates huge amounts of agricultural wastes that are often rich sources of dietary fiber and bioactive compounds. This study evaluated the potential of wheat bran and pequi pericarp as substrates for the production of fibers with antioxidant capacity. Initially was developed methodology to obtain the powder rich in dietary fiber (FA) from each substrate. Subsequently, was carried out physicochemical characterization of the FA. Wheat bran showed dietary fiber content of 48.16%, while the pequi pericarp groups ranged between 39.79 and 45.84%. The percentage of soluble fibers was higher in samples pequi pericarp, which allows for greater application in foods, since it provides enhanced hydration properties. Both substrates showed high content of phenolic compounds. The content found for pequi pericarp fibers was about 20 times higher than that found for wheat bran fibers. The antioxidant activity of the fibers was evaluated by ABTS and DPPH methods. The fibers have high antioxidant activity, and higher in fiber pericarp pequi. By Pearson correlation analysis it was concluded that both the test ABTS as of DPPH was very efficient for the analysis of antioxidant activity and that this is related to the high content of phenolic compounds.