Effect of solvent extraction and blanching pre-treatment on phytochemical, antioxidant properties, enzyme inactivation and antibacterial activities of ‘wonderful’ pomegranate peel extracts

Tandokazi Pamela Magangana, Nokwanda P. Makunga, Olaniyi Amos Fawole, Umezuruike Linus Opara

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

‘Wonderful’ pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel is rich in phytochemicals which are responsible for its strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, but it has low economic value as it is mainly discarded, causing an environmental waste management problem. To examine the best processing regime for pomegranate peel wastes, different solvents (ethanol, methanol and acetone) at various concentrations (50%, 70% and 100%) and blanching at 60, 80 and 100 °C for 1, 3 and 5 min, for each temperature, were tested. Ethanol at 70% (v/v) provided the highest extract yield, total phenolic and total tannin content at 29.46%, 10.61 ± 0.15, and 0.76 ± 0.02 mg GAE/g DM, respectively. Antioxidant activity using the 2,2 diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl assay (DPPH), ferric-reducing antiox-idant power assay (FRAP) and 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid assay (ABTS) were reported at 243.97 ± 2.43, 478.04 ± 73.98 and 718.79 ± 2.42 µmol Trolox/g DM, respectively. A blanching temperature of 80 °C for 3 min led to the highest extract that had a total phenolic content of 12.22 ± 0.08 mg GAE/g DM and total tannin content of 1.06 ± 0.06 mg GAE/g DM. This extract also exhibited the best antioxidant activity for the DPPH, FRAP and ABTS assays. Two blanching temperatures, 80 or 100 °C, significantly reduced polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activities (p < 0.05). Although blanched peel extracts showed a broad-spectrum activity against test bacteria, blanching at 80 °C for 3 or 5 min was most effective. Hot water blanching is thus a suitable environ-mentally friendly post-harvesting processing method for pomegranate peels that are intended for use as extracts in value-added products with good antioxidant and antibacterial effects.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1012
JournalProcesses
Volume9
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 8 Jun 2021

Keywords

  • Agriculture waste
  • Antibacterial activity
  • Antioxidant activity
  • Blanching
  • Peroxidase
  • Polyphenol oxidase
  • Polyphenols
  • Pomegranate fruit peel
  • Value-addition

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Bioengineering
  • Chemical Engineering (miscellaneous)
  • Process Chemistry and Technology

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