Microencapsulated Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) cake extract powder as an added-value functional food ingredient

The aim of this study was to produce and to characterize a new functional food ingredient from Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) cake extract, microencapsulated by inulin and octenyl succinic anhydride modified starch (OSA-starch). Varying proportions of the encapsulating agents were tested, and the particles morphology, average diameter, and contents of total phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, and chemical stability were determined. Microparticles containing OSA-starch and inulin (1:1) were selected for their properties, and stability of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity for 120 days of storage. Analysis of these microparticles by HPLC and LC-HRMS revealed seven phenolic acids: gallic, protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric, sinapinic and 2-hydroxybenzoic, and five flavonoids: quercetin 3-beta-D-glucoside, ( + )-catechin, ( - )-epicatechin, myricetin and quercetin. beta-Tocopherol was the major tocol identified and microparticles showed high selenium contents (4.95 mu g/g), determined by ICP-MS. The Brazil nut microparticles produced consist of a food-grade powder with interest for use in functional foods, combining the bioactive compounds in their core with the prebiotic encapsulating agent, while simultaneously adding-value to the byproduct of Brazil nut oil production.