Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

IMPROVING YIELD OF MESOCARP BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS OF BORASSUS PALM FRUITS (BORASSUS FLABELIFFER L.) AS ASOURCE OF NATURAL ANTIOXIDANT

Eny Idayati, Senni J. Bunga and Naema Bora

Abstract

Bio active compounds found in the mesocarp of Borassus palm fruit are known as -carotene and carotenoidsxantofil. They are contributed as natural antioxidants. This study investigated the effect of maceration time(60, 120 minutes) and maceration temperature (40, 70 °C) on the -carotene content of bio active compounds in the meso carp of Borrasus palm fruit. The extraction was done in acetone and etanol solution (1:1), then the antioxidant properties of mesocarp was evaluated using DPPH method. The results show that maceration extraction with ethanol and acetone (1:1) obtained 4.4% of yield. The best result was 93% treated in maceration extraction at 40 °C for 60 minutes, and the highest yield was 4.8% at 60 °C for 120 minutes. Further results still need to be studied to evaluate the possibility of improving the yield of bio active compounds that affect the reaction rate of extraction including duration of extraction and temperature.