Obtenção e caracterização físico-química, microbiológica e atividade antioxidante de pigmento extraído da pimenta ‘biquinho’ (Capsicum chinense) cultivadas em São João Do Cariri-PB.

Abstract

The utilization of dyes in food triggers a series of speculations about its benefits and harms to human health, which has caused the use of natural dyes replacing synthetic dyes in industrialized foods. The pout pepper is characterized by presenting high concentration of phenolic compounds, such flavonoids and carotenoids, being this characteristic responsible for its use as a natural dye. This study aimed at obtainment and characterization of natural dye from ‘pout’ pepper grown in Saint John of Cariri – PB. Therefore, the same was extracted using ethanol (1:8) and characterized by physical and chemical analyzes, levels of bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and microbiological conditions. The results indicate a yield of 50% of the production of dye, in the extraction conditions employed in this work. It was also obtained levels of flavonoids (105.38 (mg/100g)), anthocyanins (15.72 (mg/100g)), carotenoids (14 mg/100g)) and a high content of phenolic compounds 1536,81 (mg GAE/100g) that confirm the antioxidant activity of the material, Besides presenting microbiological conditions acceptable. Thus, the natural dye of 'pout’ pepper can be an alternative to be used in the production of industrialized foods, contributing in a safe way to replace synthetic dyes in the food industry.