Characterization and Application of Pomegranate Epicarp Extracts as Functional Ingredients in a Typical Brazilian Pastry Product

Currently, there is a clear tendency to incorporate natural ingredients into food and pharmaceutical formulations. Besides being well-accepted by consumers, these ingredients have less adverse side effects than their artificial counterparts. The pomegranate processing industry produces large quantities of by-products that are discarded as bio-residues, despite containing bioactive compounds. Accordingly, the epicarp of two pomegranate varieties (<i>Mollar de Elche</i> and <i>Purple Queen</i>) was tested as a potential source of bioactive compounds with food application. The phenolic profile was identified by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS, revealing fourteen phenolic compounds in both varieties (<i>Purple Queen</i> showed also three anthocyanins), with punicalagin isomers as the major compounds. Nonetheless, <i>Mollar de Elche</i> presented greater antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Despite this result, <i>Purple Queen</i> was selected to be tested as a new natural colouring and functionalizing ingredient in a Brazilian pastry product. The incorporation of the selected extract maintained the nutritional profile and provided a higher antioxidant activity compared to the traditional product. In this way, this work confirmed the possible use of pomegranate epicarp as a natural ingredient in the food industry, conferring dyeing and functionalizing effects, and anticipating a possible valorisation of this bio-residue.