Chemical analysis and evaluation of the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of a vitamin c concentrate obtained from Malpighia emarginata (acerola)

Vitamin C (Vit C) entails beneficial effects on the human body and has also been used as a natural preservative in foods. However, there are no technological prospecting studies aimed to produce Vit C concentrates from Malpighia emarginata (acerola), as well as antioxidant and antimicrobial evaluations of these products. In this context, this study aimed to produce Vit C concentrates using acerola as a matrix and evaluate the activities of antioxidant and antimicrobial of these preparations. The Vit C concentration and the phytochemical analysis were performed through chromatographic (HPLC) and spectroscopic methods (ESI-IT-MSn). The antimicrobial activity was evaluated through microdilution and diffusion in a solid medium. Chemical analyses revealed the presence of six compounds, including Vit C and anthocyanins, considered markers for this species. The Vit C content was greater for drying by lyophilization in comparison to a spray drying (16.30 and 10.74%, respectively). In the test of the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), the lyophilized also showed better activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus when compared to the spray drying (0.0078 and 0.0312 g/mL, respectively). In the solid medium, both concentrates were active. The concentrates also showed antioxidant effects by the DPPH method. The results of this study provide convincing evidence that lyophilized M. emarginata presents a greater concentration of Vit C and has promising antioxidant and antimicrobial effects.