Diseño de dos formulaciones de infusiones a base de plantas medicinales y frutas deshidratadas

Abstract

Medicinal plants and fruits contain among their components, vitamins, minerals, phenolic compounds and antioxidants, which provide them with various therapeutic activities. At present, the aim is to maintain the quality of processed foods using several techniques, with dehydrated being one of the most used methods. In addition, it seeks to introduce pleasant and easy to consume products such as tea or tea. That is why the objective of this project is to design two formulations to consume in the form of infusion based on medicinal plants (Moringa oleifera Lam. And Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) and dehydrated fruits (pineapple, mango, orange). The study begins with the processing of fruits, the determination of some physical-chemical parameters (pH, acidity, ° Brix, humidity and maturity index) and, later, dehydration using a forced hot air system. This last process of particular interest due to the implications it presents on the conservation of the same, due to the advantages it provides (efficiency and shorter drying time). For the development of both formulations, a completely randomized experimental design is used, taking into account the percentage or proportion of dehydrated fruit to be used for the formulations of M. oleifera and H. sabdariffa, since vegetable drugs are not a variable in the study, within the same formulation. 3 mixtures were established for each formulation, which were designated with a code 1A; 2A; 3A (moringa (1.5 g) with 5 g of pineapple and mango, 3 g of orange) and 1B; 2B; 3B (Jamaica flower (2 g) with 6.5 g of pineapple and mango). To select the best combination, a sensory test of preference was applied by ordering with the help of 23 semi-trained judges, using the sensory response as a dependent variable in the design. The statistical analysis of the data was carried out with the statistical package Statgraphics centurion XVII in which an analysis of variance and a multiple range test were carried out, if necessary. From the analysis of variance applied to the data obtained within the sensory evaluation, it was determined that, in the case of moringa tea formulations, there is a statistically significant difference between the mean of the sensory response of the evaluators of a formulation and another, with a level of 95.0% confidence, the mixture that had greater acceptance was the 1A combination. In the case of jamaica tea formulations, a statistically significant difference between the mixtures was also evidenced, the formulation of 3B being the most accepted. The selected infusions of moringa and jamaica were subjected to physical-chemical analysis (acidity, pH, ° Brix, humidity), and the analysis of dietary fiber in the dehydrated fruits of each infusion was determined, obtaining 8.9% for the combination (pineapple, mango, orange) and 8.8% for the combination (pineapple, mango). In the dehydrated fruits of each infusion, the minerals that stand out are: K (1.32%) and Fe (41.1 ppm mg / Kg) for the mixture of pineapple, mango, orange, and; K (1.14%) and Na (42.3 ppm mg / Kg) for the mixture of pineapple, mango. To determine the antioxidant activity of the infusions, the phenols were quantified using the Folin Ciocalteu reagent, obtaining the following results: moringa infusion 72.70 mg / 200 mL, fruit 67.35 mg / 200 mL; Jamaica infusion 75.81 mg / 200 mL, fruit 71.93 mg / fruit dose. The determination of the free radical scavenger capacity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was calculated by means of the mean inhibitory concentration (IC50) of each sample, obtaining the following values: moringa infusion IC50 = 1.302 mg / mL, fruit IC50 = 3.366 mg / mL; Jamaican infusion IC50 = 0.85 mg / mL, IC50 fruits = 1.988 mg / mL. The results obtained show that the infusion that showed a higher capacity to scavenge free radicals was the combination of H. sabdariffa with pineapple and mango, both dehydrated.