Applied botany: UV-B radiation to obtain quinoa sprouts enriched in phenolics, with probable uses in natural sunscreen protectors or as functional foods

SIMON SOLÁ, ZOLEICA; PRADO, CAROLINA; HILAL, MIRNA; ROSA, MARIANA

Lilloa

Fundación Miguel Lillo

Año: 2024

The objective was to evaluate the use of a microgreen system and very shortUV-B radiation dose to obtain plant biomass as a source for phenol-enriched extracts with probable cosmetic and/or food uses. Quinoa seedlings,a native species of the Andes, of two different ages were used. The seedlingswere irradiated with different doses of UV-B and then evaluated by quantifying indicators of oxidative damage. Also, the contents of phenolic compounds, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant capacity, and sun protectionfactor were determined. The results showed that the youngest seedlingsresponded better to short UVB doses, increasing the content of solubleand insoluble phenols, without showing oxidative damage. These resultswere correlated with the greater antioxidant power of the extracts and anintermediate sun protection factor. We conclude that this species, grown ina microgreen system, is a promising alternative to obtain phenol-enrichedextracts with possible use in formulations of natural sunscreens. In thissense, these results can serve as a starting point for optimization studiesthrough the response surface methodology.