Ultrasound-assisted production of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) oleoresin and tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) juice: a potential source of bioactive compounds in margarine

The objective of this study was to evaluate different quality parameters and the oxidative stability of a vegetable margarine made with different concentrations: 100, 200, and 300 ppm of sweet red pepper peel and pulp (Capsicum annuum) oleoresin and tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) juice at 5, 10, and 15%. The oleoresin was added as an enriching agent in the fat phase, and tree tomato juice was added as an enriching agent in the aqueous phase. The results showed that sweet red pepper oleoresin obtained by ultrasound presented a higher concentration of bioactive compounds compared to that obtained by conventional methods with a content of total carotenoids (1473 +/- 10.24 mg/100 g), total phenolic compounds (1158 +/- 8.65 mg GAE/100 g), flavonoids (814 +/- 7.63 mg CE/100 g), and ASTA color (765 +/- 3.51); additionally tree tomato juice is a source of vitamin C: 22.34 +/- 1.51 mg AA/100 g. The addition of these two natural extracts increased the content of bioactive compounds and notably improved the antioxidant activity, peroxides index, and p-anisidine during storage of the developed margarine formulations. The results of the physicochemical and microbiological tests showed that the vegetable margarine developed met the quality standards established for a commercial margarine. The qualification of the sensory analysis indicated that the evaluated attributes were acceptable in all the formulations. The margarine elaborated with the addition of 200 ppm of sweet red pepper oleoresin, and 10% of tree tomato juice was the one that presented the best sensory qualification.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the effects of adding sweet red pepper oleoresin and tree tomato juice at different concentrations to vegetable margarine. The results showed that the addition of these natural extracts significantly increased the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of the margarine. Physicochemical and microbiological tests confirmed that the developed margarine met quality standards. The margarine formulated with 200 ppm of sweet red pepper oleoresin and 10% of tree tomato juice received the best sensory evaluation.