Pimenta rosa (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi): capacidade antioxidante, aplicação em hambúrgueres de tilápia e sistema de produção

Abstract

The present study evaluated extracts of pink pepper prepared in ethanol and acetone for the total content of phenolics and the antioxidant capacity (DPPH and FRAP assays). Aiming the possible application of pink pepper as a natural antioxidant in foods, the effect of adding pink pepper against lipid oxidation in thermally prepared tilapia burgers (grill, conventional oven, microwave, and cooking in water) was investigated. For this purpose, the quantification of malonaldehyde, a secondary product of lipid oxidation, was carried out by the analysis of TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances). The ethanol extract had a content of 137.73 ± 6.63 mg GAE/g, which was higher than that determined in the acetone extract (61.01 ± 6.09 mg GAE/g). Both extracts showed antioxidant capacity for the methods used; however, significant differences were observed for the different extracting solvents (p<0.05). The addition of pink pepper to hamburgers reduced the formation of malonaldehyde in grilled samples and in samples prepared with microwave (p<0.05), suggesting the protective effect of pink pepper on the degradation of hydroperoxides during oxidative processes. Such results highlight the possible application of this fruit as natural additive in foods, representing an alternative for the substitution of synthetic antioxidants. However, future studies are needed to evaluate parameters such as dose-effect and sensory aspects for industrial application. Due to the technological potential of pink pepper and the promising prospects for income generation for family farmers, characteristics of the pink pepper production system were also discussed.