Stability Evaluation and Degradation Kinetics of Ascorbic Acid in Baobab Fruit Pulp Formulated with the Seed Oil

Aims: Baobab (Adansonia digitata) fruit pulp and the seed oil contain appreciable amount of vitamins and nutrients which help fight off diseases and afford commendable source of nourishment. It is essential to screen for the stability of the high vitamin C contents and validate the mechanism of its kinetic degradation in the fruit pulp with and without the oil extracted from seeds, during heat treatment. Experiments were planned according to standard methods and practices.

Methodology: Ascorbic acid degradation in both raw baobab fruit pulp and the pulp formulated with baobab seed oil were investigated at varying temperatures (25–80ºC) and at different time intervals. Kinetic data analysis was then conducted by utilizing the absorbance data collected and the validated calibration curve of standard method using DCPIP to determine the ascorbic acid contents.

Results: The results showed that reaction kinetics through heat treatments of the fruit pulp were well characterized by zero-order reactions. The activation energy (Ea) for the ascorbic acid degradation in the raw fruit pulp and the pulp treated with the seed oil were 0.000274 and 0.001903 Kcal/mol respectively. The shelf life of ascorbic acid in the formulated fruit pulp at 25ºC was approximately seven times that of the raw fruit pulp. Conclusion: The results indicate that the baobab seed oil exhibits both antioxidant enrichment and preservative properties.