ANTIOXIDANT ENRICHMENT OF BAOBAB FRUIT PULP TREATED WITH OIL EXTRACTED FROM THE SEEDS

Abstract

The effect of the application of oil from baobab seeds on the antioxidant capacity and stability of ascorbic acid in the fruit pulp at varying temperature were evaluated. Ascorbic acid analysis of the fruit pulp revealed that the concentration in the raw extract of the pulp sullied rapidly matched with the extract treated with the seed oil. Compared with the raw extracts the formulated fruit pulp presented the highest concentration of the total ascorbic acid when both samples were subjected to varying temperatures at extended time periods. The results clearly indicated the antioxidant enrichment property of the baobab seed oil. This study demonstrates the poten-tial of oil derived from baobab seed as having antioxidant enrichment capacity and might be a potential ingre-dient in pharmaceutical cosmetics formulations and food preparations.