Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis) and Food Application

The objectives of this study were to determine phenolic content and antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts from different parts of cantaloupe (skin, seed and flesh), and to evaluate the efficiency of using cantaloupe skin wastes methanolic extracts at concentrations of 200, 400 and 600 ppm, respectively by compared with BHA on oxidative stability of mayonnaise incubated at 40°C to accelerate the oxidation for 60 days. The flesh extract give the highest yield (62.87±2.3 g extract/100 g powder) whilst the lowest yield was obtained from the seed (2.866±0.06 g extract/100 g powder) (p < 0.05). The skin extract showed the highest total phenolic content (8.47±0.21mg GAE/g extract) and total flavonoid content (5.23±1.32 µg RE/g extract) accompanied with best antioxidant activity through antioxidant assay (p < 0.05). For mayonnaise stability show sample treated with CSE at level 400 ppm showed the lowest value for acid value (0.296±0.00 mg KOH/g fat) and peroxide value (6.56±0.07 meq.O2/kg fat) at the end day of storage 60 day. There is no significant between it and BHA at 60 day. Thus, these results suggest that methanolic extracts of skin cantaloupe may serve as a potential source of natural antioxidant for food, nutraceutical application and could be used to retard fat auto-oxidation.