Arapey sweet potato peel waste as renewable source of antioxidant: extraction, nanoencapsulation and nanoadditive potential in films

Abstract

In this work, the peel of Arapey Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas), a vegetable waste, was used as a source of phenolic compounds which are widely recognized as beneficial antioxidants for human health. The extract obtained from Ipomoea batatas exhibited an antioxidant activity significantly higher than many antioxidant agents reported in literature (476.96 mg of TROLOX mL-1), as well as good thermal stability. Nanocapsules of the extract coated with low molecular weight polylactic acid were prepared by the emulsification-solvent evaporation method and the nanoparticles obtained were characterized physical; thermal; and morphologically. An analysis of the variables that were investigated to increase the encapsulation efficiency is presented here. Besides, PLA films prepared via the solution-casting method exhibited good compatibility with the nanoparticles loaded with the antioxidant extract, as was evidenced by the uniform and stable dispersion of these particles in the films. Furthermore, an improvement of the mechanical properties of the PLA films due to the presence of the nanoparticles were clearly observed. Results reported here are encourage enough to propose the nanocapsules described in this work as additives or to be used immersed in films for controlled release of antioxidants, putting in value a vegetable waste.