Evaluation of the antioxidant potentials of fruit peels extract

Abstract

This study evaluates the antioxidant potentials of sweet orange, shaddock and lemon peel extracts as an alternative source of synthetic antioxidants like butylatedhydroxyanisole (BHA), butylatedhydroxytoluene (BHT) and tertiary butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) often used in food industries to enhance the oxidative stability of food products. The peels of ripe sweet orange, shaddock and lemon fruits were oven-dried and extracted  using a standard method.  The qualitative and quantitative phytochemical contents, radical scavenging activities and 1,1 – diphenyl 2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) abilities of sweet orange peel extract (SOPE), shaddock peel extract (SHPE), and lemon peel extract (LMPE) were also evaluated. Phenolic compounds, steroids, flavonoids, coumarins triterpenes and alkaloids were found in SOPE, SHPE and LMPE. While phlobatannin, anthocyanin and amino acid were observed to be absent in SOPE, SHPE and LMPE. SOPE contains more steroids (34.43 mg/100g), flavonoids (161.82 mg/100g), terpenoids (17.09 mg/100g), triterpenes (128.27μg/100g) and alkaloids (32.44 mg/100g) than SHPE and LMPE. SHPE contains more phenolics (26.76 mg/100g) than SOPE and LMPE while LMPE contains more tannins (1.74 mg/100g), coumarins (18.15 μg/100g) than SOPE and SHPE. The study showed that SOPE, SHPE and LMPEcontain useful natural antioxidants that can serve as alternative preservative agents and antioxidants to butylatedhydroxyanisole (BHA), a synthetic antioxidant.