RESUMO

Peppers of the Capsicum genus have a rich nutritional composition and are widely consumed worldwide. Thus, they find numerous applications in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. One commercial application is oleoresin production, a nonpolar fraction rich in bioactive compounds, including capsaicinoids and carotenoids. Among the technologies for pepper processing, special attention is given to supercritical fluid technologies, such as supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with pure solvents and CO2 plus modifiers, and SFE assisted by ultrasound. Supercritical fluid-based processes present advantages over the classical extraction techniques like using less solvents, short extraction times, specificity and scalability. In this review, we present a brief overview of the nutritional aspects of peppers, followed by studies that apply supercritical fluid technologies to produce extracts and concentrate bioactives, besides oleoresin encapsulation. Furthermore, we present related phase equilibrium, cost estimation, and the gaps and needs for the full use of peppers from a sustainable perspective.

RESUMO

A method named imprint paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (imprint-PSI-MS) has been developed and employed for the determination of pungency of peppers. A pepper fruit was cut into a triangular shape, deposited onto a triangular paper, and compressed by a homemade press tool aiming to imprint and transfer the pepper constituents onto the paper surface. Subsequently, the triangular paper was submitted to conventional PSI-MS analysis. Twelve peppers were analyzed, ranging from highly pungent to lowly pungent taste. Pepper pungency values from the Scoville scale (in Scoville heat units, SHU) were compared with the ion intensities of the capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin compounds obtained from the imprint-PSI-MS analysis, and a correlation coefficient of 0.97 was achieved. In addition, the ion intensities of a sugar compound were monitored in all peppers, and the results were compared with the Scoville scale. Low sugar ion intensities were detected in pungent peppers, while high ion intensities were achieved in low-pungent peppers, suggesting that the pepper pungency may be determined by inversely relating pungency to sugar contents. This work demonstrates the utility of the imprint-PSI-MS method to perform rapid qualitative analyses of peppers and estimate the pungency by monitoring the pepper metabolites. Graphical abstract.

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RESUMO

Capsaicinoids show several pharmacological effects including weight loss. However, their pungency limits the long-term use through the gastrointestinal tract. In that sense, the goal of this study was to prepare capsaicinoids-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) microparticles as an oral carrier in order to improve their gastric tolerability and to make feasible the long-term treatment of obesity. Formulations containing 3, 5 and 10% capsaicinoids were successfully obtained by simple emulsion/solvent evaporation method. Values of encapsulation efficiency above 90% were achieved. Microparticles showed spherical shape and smooth surface. The particle size was suitable for oral use in order to provide an extended release through the gastrointestinal tract. No chemical bond was observed between drug and polymer. Microencapsulation led to drug amorphization. Formulations prolonged the release of capsaicinoids without changing the release kinetic (biexponential model). Microencapsulation increased the gastric tolerability of capsaicinoids because it prevented inflammatory processes in the stomach of rats. Microparticles containing 5% capsaicinoids demonstrated a statistically significant reduction of Lee index, mesenteric and retroperitoneal fat pads of rats with obesity induced by hypothalamic lesion using monosodium l-glutamate. In summary, capsaicinoids-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) microparticles are low-irritative oral controlled-release carriers for a long-term use in obesity.

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Introducción. En el desarrollo de nuevos procesos e ingredientes para la industria alimentaria, las técnicas de extracción permiten obtener principios activos a partir de productos naturales, aptos para el consumo humano y fuertemente relacionados con la tendencia hacia una alimentación más saludable y libre de contaminantes. Las oleorresinas de especies vegetales permiten el manejo simultáneo de componentes pigmentantes y aromatizantes como en el caso de los pimientos, para los cuales la extracción con solventes orgánicos es una práctica común que debe refinarse de tal modo que se empleen sustancias de extracción seguras y aprobadas para el consumo humano. Objetivo. Comparar la composición de la oleorresina de dos variedades de ají picante (tabasco y habanero) extraída con dos solventes diferentes (hexano y acetato de etilo). Materiales y métodos. Se tomó material seco de dos variedades de ají picante (tabasco y habanero) y se sometieron a extracción con dos solventes orgánicos diferentes (hexano y acetato de etilo). Las oleorresinas resultantes fueron concentradas para calcular el rendimiento en extracción y luego fueron analizadas en un HPLC para determinar su contenido en capsaicina y dihidrocapsaicina. Resultados. Se encontró que el acetato de etilo es un mejor solvente que el hexano, pues presenta un porcentaje general de extracción del 11,23% frente a 7,14%. En la caracterización por HPLC se encontraron concentraciones aceptables de los principios pungentes (capsaicina y dihidrocapsaicina) las cuales corresponden con los valores teóricos en los cuales el ají habanero presenta entre 150.000 y 325.000 Unidades Scoville y tabasco presenta entre 50.000 y 100.000 Unidades Scoville. Conclusión. En un proceso de extracción con solventes sobre ají picante, se obtiene un mejor rendimiento en extracción empleando acetato de etilo como solvente y una mayor concentración de capsaicina y dihidrocapsaicina empleando ají habanero.

Introduction. In the development of new processes and ingredients for food industry, extraction techniques allow us to obtain active principles from natural products, good for human consuming and strongly related to the tendency towards a healthier and free of contaminants feeding. Oleoresins from vegetables allow us to work with dye and aromatic components (as in the case of peppers, for which, extraction with organic solvents is a common practice that must be refined in such a way that only safe and apt for human consumption substances are used). Objective. To compare the composition of oleoresin from two kinds of chili pepper (Tabasco and habanero) extracted with two different solvents (hexane and ethyl acetate). Materials and methods. Dry material from both kinds of chili pepper were taken and submitted to extraction with two different organic solvents (hexane and ethyl acetate). The oleoresins that resulted from this procedure were concentrated to calculate their performance in extraction and then analyzed in a HPLC to determine their contents of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. Results. We found that ethyl acetate is a better solvent than hexane; it shows a general percentage of extraction of 11.23% compared to a 7.14%. In the characterization with the HPLC we found acceptable concentrations of the pungent principles (capsaicine and dihydrocapsaicin), corresponding to the theoretical values in which habanero pepper represents a value between 150000 and 325000 Scoville units and the Tabasco, between 50000 and 10000 Scoville units. Conclusion. In an extraction process for chili peppers, a better extraction performance is obtained by using ethyl acetate as solvent and a better concentration of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin by using habanero chili pepper.