Antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content of the encapsulated pulpe of Opuntia ficus yellow variety

The yellow prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) is a seasonal fruit of the Huancavelica region, which is used very little, despite being a source of phenolic compounds and natural antioxidants, which is why encapsulated yellow prickly pear pulp was developed using maltodextrin, in such a way that its functional properties are preserved. A 2k factorial design was used whose independent variables were the encapsulating agent ratio (10% and 20%) and the inlet air temperature (120°C and 140°C), and the dependent variables were: the polyphenol content totals (Folin - Ciocalteau method), antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydracil free radical method), moisture (gravimetric method), yield and colorimetry parameters (a, b, L) to measure encapsulation efficiency. The maximum total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity reached were 231.16 ± 0.406 mg gallic acid equivalent / 100 g and 53.86 ± 2.85% inhibition, respectively: for an encapsulating agent ratio of 10% and inlet air temperature 120°C. With these values of the independent variables, moisture, and yield values of 6.49 ± 0.06% and 7.45 ± 0.15%, respectively, were obtained. The stability of the color of the encapsulation, as well as its functional properties are achieved at a ratio of 10% and inlet temperature of drying air at 120°C.