Microcapsules of ciriguela peel extracts obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction were prepared by spray drying, whose results were compared with those of freeze-drying as a control. The effects of spray-drying air temperature, feed flow rate and ratio of encapsulating agents (maltodextrin and arabic gum) were studied. Encapsulation efficiency, moisture content, total phenolic compounds (TPC), water activity, hygroscopicity, solubility, colorimetric parameters, phenolic profile by HPLC/DAD, simulated gastrointestinal digestion and morphology of spray-dried and freeze-dried microcapsules were evaluated, as well as their stability of TPC during 90 days storage at 7 and 25 °C. Spray-dried extract showed higher encapsulation efficiency (98.83%) and TPC (476.82 mg GAE g⁻¹) than freeze-dried extract. The most abundant compounds in the liquid extract of ciriguela peel flour were rutin, epicatechin gallate, chlorogenic acid and quercetin. Rutin and myricetin were the major flavonoids in the spray-dried extract, while quercetin and kaempferol were in the freeze-dried one. The simulated gastrointestinal digestion test of microencapsulated extracts revealed the highest TPC contents after the gastric phase and the lowest one after the intestinal one. Rutin was the most abundant compound after the digestion of both spray-dried (68.74 µg g⁻¹) and freeze-dried (93.98 µg g⁻¹) extracts. Spray-dried microcapsules were of spherical shape, freeze-dried products of irregular structures. Spray-dried microcapsules had higher phenolic compounds contents after 90 days of storage at 7 °C compared to those stored at 25 °C, while the lyophilized ones showed no significant difference between the two storage temperatures. The ciriguela agro-industrial residue can be considered an interesting alternative source of phenolic compounds that could be used, in the form of bioactive compounds-rich powders, as an ingredient in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries.

Extratos aquoso e acetônico de 15 frutas foram submetidos a ensaios para investigar a habilidade de seqüestrar o radical estável 1,1-difenil-2-picrilhidrazil (DPPH) e a capacidade de inibir a oxidação em sistema modelo β-caroteno/ácido linoléico. Todas as frutas exibiram propriedade antioxidante, entretanto a ação foi diferenciada entre elas. O extrato aquoso da acerola, caju, mamão "Formosa", mamão Havaí, laranja pêra e goiaba foram os mais eficazes (superior a 70%), enquanto que o do abacaxi, laranja cravo, manga rosa, melão espanhol, melão japonês, melão orange flesh e pinha apresentaram ação moderada (60-70%) e o da manga espada e melancia exibiram a mais fraca capacidade de seqüestrar o radical DPPH. Os extratos acetônico da acerola, caju, pinha e goiaba exibiram uma forte capacidade de seqüestrar o radical DPPH (superior a 70%). Em sistema modelo β-caroteno/ácido linoléico, o extrato aquoso da pinha e o acetônico da goiaba exibiram moderada capacidade antioxidante (60-70%) enquanto que a acerola (extrato aquoso) e o mamão formosa (extrato acetônico) os menores percentuais. Frente à capacidade antioxidante exibida, as frutas podem ser apontadas como fontes de antioxidantes naturais, destacando-se a acerola, caju, mamão Formosa, mamão Havaí, goiaba, laranja pêra, e a pinha por terem apresentado uma potente capacidade antioxidante. Aqueous and acetone extracts from 15 fruits have been screened for antioxidant activity using DPPH method and ß-carotene/linoleic acid model. All fruits studied showed antioxidant activity, but in different extent. Acerola, cashew-apple, papaya "formosa", papaya "solo", orange and guava showed the higher antioxidant activity (>70%) in DPPH method, followed by pineapple, bergamont, mango "rosa", melon "reticulares", melon "inodorus", melon "orange flesh" and sugar-apple aqueous extract (moderate, 60-70%) and mango "espada" and watermelon aqueous extract, the lowest activity. Acerola, cashew-apple, sugar-apple and guava acetone extracts exhibited higher scavenging activity toward DPPH radicals (>70%).β-carotene/linoleic acid model index of sugar-apple aqueous extract and guava acetone extract demonstrated moderate antioxidant activity (60-70%), meanwhile acerola aqueous extract and papaya "formosa" acetone extract the lower. According to antioxidant activity, fruits can be indicated as natural antioxidants sources, pointing out acerola, cashew-apple, papaya "solo", papaya "formosa", guava, orange and sugar-apple as the highest in antioxidant capacity

The investigation aimed to compare the knowledge about food plants in rural communities of the Caatinga. The study was conducted in two rural communities in northeastern Brazil. Data collection utilized different ethnobotanical methods, including free listing, semi-structured interviews, and recall. Native species are less frequently consumed as food in both locations. Fruits are the most frequently cited wild resource, but in practice, most of this food availability potential is wasted. Despite community knowledge about wild species with potential food, few species are actually utilized, and thus, many plants are not included in the diets of the populations studied.