Preparation of black pepper oleoresin by alcohol extraction

Postharvest Processing and Benefits of Black Pepper, Coriander, Cinnamon, Fenugreek, and Turmeric Spices

Spices are prime source for flavor, aroma, and taste in cuisines and play an active role as medicines due to their high antioxidant properties. As medicine or food, the importance of spices cannot be overemphasized. The medicinal values of spices are very well established in treating various ailments like cancer, fever, malaria, stomach offset, nausea, and many more. A spice may be available in several forms: fresh, whole dried, or pre-ground dried which requires further processing to be utilized in the form of value-added product. This review paper deals with the cultivation, postharvesting, chemical composition, uses, health, and medicinal benefits of the selected spice viz., black pepper, coriander, cinnamon, fenugreek, turmeric, and technological advances in processing of spices viz., super critical fluid extraction, cryogenic grinding, and microencapsulation etc. This paper also focuses on issues related to utilization of spices toward its high end-product development and characterization in pharmaceuticals and other medicinal purposes. The availability of different spices and their varietal differences and location have their pertinent characters, which are much demanding to refine postharvest and processing to assure its quality in the international market.

Synthesis and characterization of nano-encapsulated black pepper oleoresin using hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin for antioxidant and antimicrobial applications

Previous studies have reported antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of black pepper oleoresin which is associated to its phenolic compounds and piperine. The ability of cyclodextrins to form an inclusion complex with a guest molecule could improve black pepper oleoresin application, bioavailability, and stability in foods. Hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) inclusion complex with black pepper olereosin were synthesized using the kneading method and characterized for its physico-chemical properties and its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Inclusion complex size was 103.9 ± 7.6 nm and indicated to be a polydisperse system. The entrapment efficiency was 78.3 ± 3.6%, which suggests that other constituents in black pepper oleoresin have higher affinities for HPBCD than piperine (major compound in black pepper oleoresin). Thermograms showed the disappearance of oxidation peaks of black pepper oleoresin, proving complex formation with HPBCD. Phase solubility results indicated 1:1 stoichiometric inclusion complex formation and an increase of black pepper oleoresin aqueous solubility with HPBCD concentration. Nano-encapsulation with HPBCD did not affect (P > 0.05) total phenolic content; however, it enhanced (P < 0.05) black pepper oleoresin antioxidant activity. Black pepper oleoresin and its inclusion complex were analyzed for their antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli K12 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2. Both free and encapsulated black pepper oleoresin effectively inhibited bacterial growth within the concentration range tested. Black pepper oleoresin encapsulated in HPBCD was able to inhibit Salmonella at lower (P < 0.05) concentrations than its corresponding free extract. Therefore, black pepper oleoresin-HPBCD nanocapsules could have important applications in the food industry as antimicrobial and antioxidant system.