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Prosopis alba (algarrobo) flours are traditional food resources from Argentina. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of particle sizes of Prosopis flour on its chemical composition and functional properties. Flours were obtained by mechanical methods (F1 to F4, >840, 840 to 500, 500 to 149 and <149 µm, respectively). F1 and F2 contain 40% mesocarp while F3 and F4 show 80 and 90%, respectively. Mesocarp reserve parenchyma is rich in free and bound phenolic compounds, carbohydrates and fibers of the vascular system, CaCO 3 crystals, and minerals (Fe, Ca, Mg, K). Apigenin C-glycosides and phenylpropanoids acids were identified in all fractions whereas F4 showed the highest level. All fractions showed functional properties. F3 and F4 showed the highest activity as H 2 O 2 and HO • scavenger. F1 and F2 showed the highest activity as reductor agents and lipoperoxidation inhibitors. Flours with different granulometry may be suitable as functional ingredient or nutraceutical whereas flours with a smaller particle size (F3 and F4) are more interesting as functional ingredients because of their high content of bound phenolic compounds and particle homogeneity and could be used either alone or together., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In South America, the mesocarp flour of Prosopis species plays a prominent role as a food resource in arid areas. The aim of this work was the characterization of the phenolic antioxidants occurring in the pod mesocarp flour of Chilean Prosopis. Samples were collected in the Copiapo, Huasco and Elqui valleys from the north of Chile. The samples of P. chilensis flour exhibited a total phenolic content ranging between 0.82-2.57 g gallic acid equivalents/100 g fresh flour weight. The highest antioxidant activity, measured by the DPPH assay, was observed for samples from the Huasco valley. HPLC-MS/MS analysis allowed the tentative identification of eight anthocyanins and 13 phenolic compounds including flavonol glycosides, C-glycosyl flavones and ellagic acid derivatives. The antioxidant activity and the phenolic composition in the flour suggest that this ancient South American resource may have potential as a functional food.

Abstract: Fruits such as Prosopis pod have been food sources (patay, arrope, chicha or aloja) of inhabitants of arid and semi-arid lands in South America. The aims of the present study were determine some nutritional and functional properties as well as genotoxicity of flour obtained from Prosopis ripe pods that were submitted to different processing. Sucrose constituted the main sugar for flours obtained from Prosopis alba and Prosopis nigra. Decoctions and macerations showed around 2.9% and 1.4% of soluble proteins, respectively. The highest free phenolics, flavonoids and condensed tannins contents were observed in aqueous extractions with heating. None of the samples presented phytic acid levels high enough to constitute a nutritional problem. Antioxidant activity (AA) was evaluated by DPPH, ABTS and β-carotene bleaching assays. Results showed that the antioxidant potential was significantly higher in flour obtained from P. nigra pods than in that from P. alba pods, and it was also higher in aqueous extracts than in alcoholic ones. Data obtained suggests that compounds responsible for AA are thermostable; therefore, Prosopis flour might be capable of retaining a significant amount of antioxidant capacity after heating. Prosopis extracts did not show any mutagenic effect with and without metabolic activation. Prosopis flour proved to be a non conventional, novel and rich source of antioxidant compounds that could help to prevent pathologies associated with oxidative stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]