Re-Valorization of Red Habanero Chili Pepper (<i>Capsicum chinense</i> Jacq.) Waste by Recovery of Bioactive Compounds: Effects of Different Extraction Processes
José Arturo Olguín-Rojas,
Lucio Abel Vázquez-León,
Miguel Palma,
María Teresa Fernández-Ponce,
Lourdes Casas,
Gerardo Fernández Barbero,
Guadalupe del Carmen Rodríguez-Jimenes
Affiliations
José Arturo Olguín-Rojas
Procesos Bioalimentarios, Universidad Tecnológica de Tecamachalco, Av. Universidad Tecnológica No. 1, Col. La Villita, Tecamachalco 75483, Puebla, Mexico
Lucio Abel Vázquez-León
CONACYT-Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad del Papaloapan, Circuito Central 200, Col. Parque Industrial, Tuxtepec 68301, Oaxaca, Mexico
Miguel Palma
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Institute for Viticulture and Agrifood Research (IVAGRO), University of Cadiz, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), 11510 Puerto Real, Spain
María Teresa Fernández-Ponce
Department of Chemical Engineering and Food Technology, Faculty of Sciences, Institute for Viticulture and Agrifood Research (IVAGRO), University of Cadiz, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), 11510 Puerto Real, Spain
Lourdes Casas
Department of Chemical Engineering and Food Technology, Faculty of Sciences, Institute for Viticulture and Agrifood Research (IVAGRO), University of Cadiz, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), 11510 Puerto Real, Spain
Gerardo Fernández Barbero
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Institute for Viticulture and Agrifood Research (IVAGRO), University of Cadiz, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), 11510 Puerto Real, Spain
Guadalupe del Carmen Rodríguez-Jimenes
Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de Veracruz, Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Alimentos (UNIDA), M.A. de Quevedo 2779, Col. Formando Hogar, Veracruz 91860, Veracruz, Mexico
Inadequately managed agricultural waste significantly impacts the environment, health, and economy. This pollution stems from the underutilization, inadequate awareness, and insufficient treatment of agricultural waste. Fruit and vegetable wastes are valuable sources of bioactive compounds. This study aimed to revalorize discarded waste from red habanero chili peppers (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) by extracting bioactive compounds through different extraction processes: maceration (ME), maceration assisted by ultrasound (US), Soxhlet extraction (SE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and supercritical fluid extraction with a co-solvent (SFEC). The extraction processes had significant effects on extraction efficiency and phytochemical profile (capsaicinoids and carotenoids recovery). The results indicated that the highest-efficiency process was SFEC, in addition to its high phytochemicals recovery (14.9 mg of total capsaicinoids and total carotenoids 292.09 µg per gram of sample). Concerning the phytochemical profile of the extract, the maceration process yielded the highest concentration of compounds, followed by US and SFEC. These data reveal that the use of the SFE and SFEC processes is recommended for extracting phytochemicals with biological activity from red habanero chili pepper waste for diverse industrial applications.
