Obtaining Extracts and Hydrolysates from Cambuci Peel Through Subcritical Water: An In-line Detection Approach

The cambuci is a fruit that has been attracting interest due to its rich composition of phenolic compounds. However, the fruit’s peel is an understudied agro-industrial by-product. This study is aimed at assessing the effects of temperature and pH in an innovative system. This system integrates an in-line UV-VIS analysis detector into the process of extracting and hydrolyzing bioactive compounds from cambuci peel, enhancing process monitoring. The system operated with 2 g of cambuci peel in the reactor for 60 min, using a water flow rate of 2 mL min−1, 15 MPa, temperatures ranging from 40 to 160 °C, and pH levels from 4 to 7. The results indicated that increasing the temperature led to a more favorable response in total phenolic compounds (TPC) and the antioxidant capacity of the samples. At the same time, the selected pH range had a minimal impact. Furthermore, the obtained material revealed the presence of citric acid, glucose, arabinose, and fructose, with fructose showing the highest concentration. The in-line coupling system proved to be highly effective in real-time monitoring and determining the completion of the extraction or hydrolysis process, as it allowed for the observation of decreasing concentrations of the compounds of interest. Thus, this study contributes to the understanding and optimization of the extraction of bioactive compounds from cambuci peel, providing valuable insights for future applications in the food and natural products industry.