Development of Natural Antioxidant Based Edible Coating Using Bioactive Compounds Extracted from Pomegranate Peel

Abstract

Pomegranate (Punica Granantum) is rich in antioxidant apart from arils, the peel of newlinepomegranate has also been found rich in bioactive compounds. The current research newlinework was an attempt to assess and quantify the bioactive compounds from the peels of newlinethe two most popular Indian varieties of pomegranate (Bhagwa and Ganesh). The newlineextracted bioactive compounds were used to prepare antioxidant rich newlinechitosan:pullulan blend edible coating to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. newlineThe fruits of Bhagwa variety were comparatively smaller in size with average weight newlineof 266±5.12 g as compared to large size fruits of Ganesh variety (avg. wt. 296±8.19 newlineg). Edible index in both the varieties varied between 52±0.05% to 52.16±0.05% newlinewhereas the waste index was higher in Ganesh (48±0.25%) as compared to Bhagwa newline(47.84±0.25%). The peels of both the pomegranate varieties were subjected to three newlinedrying treatments i.e. freeze-drying, tray drying and sun drying. The dried peel was newlinegrounded to a fine powder and was used for proximate analysis. Irrespective of newlinepomegranate variety and drying treatments applied, the moisture content of dried peel newlinepowder varied from 5.53% to 8.65%, ash content varied from 2.34% to 3.75%, fat newlinecontent varied from 0.34% to 0.46%, protein content varied from 0.93% to 1.34%, newlinefiber content varied from 12.19% to 15.24%, and total carbohydrate varied from newline73.68% to 75.79%. Out of three drying treatments, freeze dried powder exhibited the newlinebest values in proximate analysis of each variety. The peel powders were treated with newlinefive different solvents viz. methanol, ethanol, water, acetone, and hexane to prepare newlineextract and used for the physicochemical estimation. Irrespective of varieties, the best newlineresults were obtained with freeze dried peel powders using methanol as extraction newlinesolvent. The significantly higher phenolic content (485.036±0.31 mg/g), antinutritional newlinecontent (tannins) (77.04±0.11%), and antioxidant activity (DPPH newline98.578±0.05%, FRAP (1.977±0.02 Mm/L) was obtained in freeze dried peel powder newlineof Bhagw