Celery Root Phenols Content, Antioxidant Capacities and Their Correlations after Osmotic Dehydration in Molasses
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Date
2022-06-30
Authors
Nićetin, Milica
Pezo, Lato
Pergal, Marija
Lončar, Biljana
Filipović, Vladimir
Knežević, Violeta
Demir, Hanđ
Filipović, Jelena 
Manojlović, Dragan
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MDP
Abstract
The osmotic dehydration (OD) of celery root in sugar beet molasses was studied at three
temperatures (20, 35, and 50 ◦C) and three immersion periods (1, 3, and 5 h) in order to examine
the changes in antioxidant potential and phenolic profile of celery root throughout the process.
The antioxidant capacity (AOC) of dehydrated samples was evaluated by spectrophotometric and
polarographic assays, the total phenolic content by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and the individual
phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD. As a result of OD in molasses, the AOC and phenols content
in samples increased proportionally to the augmentation of temperature and the immersion time.
Vanillic acid, syringic acid, and catechin were detected in dehydrated samples as a result of transfer
from molasses. Compared to fresh celery root, the content of identified phenols in osmodehydrated
samples was improved from 1.5 to 6.2 times. Strong correlations between applied assays were
obtained, except for the DPPH. Based on the correlation analysis chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, chrysin,
catechin, and kaempferol showed the greatest contribution to the overall AOC of osmodehydrated
celery root. Molasses, an agro-industrial waste from sugar production, could be valorized as a
valuable osmotic solution.
Description
This study indicated that osmotic dehydration in sugar beet molasses leads to im proved phenol content and total antioxidant potential of celery root. By comparing the
phenolic profiles of fresh and dehydrated celery root, it was observed that quercetin, rutin,
and caffeic acid were lost due to the OD process. However, three phenolic compounds,
which were not initially present, namely, vanillic acid, syringic acid, and catechin, were
detected in dehydrated celery root samples through transfer from molasses during the
process. As a result of OD in molasses, the content of apigenin, luteolin, chlorogenic acid,
kaempferol, gallic acid, chrysin, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid, as well as AOC values
(determined by FRAP, ABTS, DPPH, HPMC, and MRAP methods and TPC) in celery root
gradually increased with increasing process parameters, as shown on the PCA biplot. These
findings open a new perspective in which molasses, an agro-industrial waste from sugar
production, could be transformed into a promising osmotic solution with the potential to
enhance the antioxidant properties of food. Correlation analysis confirmed the similarity
between all applied antioxidant assays, but the DPPH method showed different behavior.
Contrary to expectations, apigenin, the most abundant phenol in celery, contributed the
least to the AOC. The major contributors of total AOC of samples were chlorogenic acid,
gallic acid, chrysin, kaempferol, and catechin, which were confirmed by correlation analysis
and Yoon’s interpretation method of a developed ANN model. It can be concluded that
celery root osmotically dehydrated in sugar beet molasses could be regarded as a valuable
ingredient for various food formulations
Keywords
antioxidant capacity, phenolic compounds, osmotic dehydration, celery root, sugar beet molasses