Obtaining Extracts with Antioxidant Capacity from Red Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Abstract

The aim of this work has been to determine the optimum conditions for obtaining antioxidant capacity extracts from red pepper and utilize them as nutraceuticals ingredients in the food industry.
It has been studied the extraction efficiency of different solvents regarding to the antioxidant capacity of red pepper flour. The vegetables have been dehydrated at temperatures of 60, 80 and 100°C. Acetone and ethanol were the solvents used in this process.The extracts antioxidant activities have been evaluated by free radical scavenger effect (FRSE) and total flavonoid content (TFC) by means of absorbance measures. Furthermore, the ASTA extractable colour, as well as the non-enzymatic browning index, were obtained.
According to our experimental results, ethanolic extraction at 60°C was the most suitable procedure to obtain antioxidant capacity extracts.