Antioxidant, physicochemical, microbiological and pigmenting capacity of dehydrated pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus) stalk and shell
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Abstract
Introduction. Pitahaya is a crop of economic importance in Ecuador. Objective. To evaluate the physicochemical, antioxidant, colorimetric, and microbiological properties of dehydrated flours with agroindustrial potential derived from the stems and husks of pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus). Methodology. Both plant materials (pith flour [HP] and peel flour [HC]) were collected. The samples were sorted, cut, and dehydrated at 40 °C, and then ground (particle size of 354 µm). A completely randomized experimental design was used with five treatments (T0-1: HP; T0-2: HC; T1: 40 g HP + 20 g HC; T2: 30 g HP + 30 g HC; and T3: 20 g HP + 40 g HC). The physicochemical, antioxidant, colorimetric, and microbiological properties were evaluated for each treatment. Results. The results showed that, in terms of physicochemical composition, the husk treatment (T0-2) had the highest dry matter content (95.25%) and lowest moisture content (4.75%), indicating greater stability, while the leaf stalk meal (T0-1) had the highest ash content (17.45%), indicating a high mineral content. The pH ranged from 5.57 to 6.42, with no variations in titratable acidity. Antioxidant capacity was significantly higher in T0-2, with values of 26.99 for ABTS and 17.05 for DPPH, while total phenols showed no statistically significant differences among treatments (5.57–6.04 mg GAE/g). In the colorimetric analysis, pure leaf stalk flour exhibited greater lightness (L* = 70.65), while the peel showed greater red intensity (a* = 25.40) and negative b* values (−5.41). Microbiological analysis revealed mold and yeast counts ranging from 118.67 to 948.33 CFU/g, with T3 being the treatment with the lowest microbial load. Conclusion. It is concluded that pitahaya peel improves antioxidant capacity, provides natural colorants, and reduces the microbial load. General Area of Study. Food Science and Technology. Specific area of study. Characterization and valorization of agricultural and livestock waste. Type of study. Original articles.
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