Physicochemical stability and quality of freeze-dried Tectona grandis L. for phytosanitary use
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15517/ms11wv92Keywords:
teak, agricultural fungicide, antioxidant, accelerated stability, Arrhenius, BowkerAbstract
Introduction. The development of phytosanitary products from plant extracts requires the establishment of quality and stability criteria to guarantee their efficacy and safety. Objective. To determine the specifications for the physicochemical quality control of a phytosanitary product based on a lyophilized aqueous extract of Tectona grandis leaves and to evaluate the stability under temperature-accelerated conditions to establish its shelf life. Materials and methods. The research was conducted in the province of Pastaza, Ecuador, from January to May, 2024. Mature leaves of T. grandis were collected, dried, pulverized and subjected to ultrasound-assisted extraction. The aqueous extract was freeze-dried and evaluated for pH, electrical conductivity, moisture, total ash, total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity. Bowker’s method was applied to establish specification limits with seven replicates and 95 % confidence. Stability was evaluated by monitoring the loss of antioxidant activity in accelerated storage (30, 40 and 50 °C), using kinetic models (zero, first and second order) and the Arrhenius equation to project shelf life at 4, 15 and 20 °C. Results. The product showed a pH of 5.46-5.48; conductivity of 5.1-5.9 µS/cm; moisture of 13.4-14.9 %; total ash of 12.83-13.25 %; total polyphenols of 55.33-57.93 mg ET/100, and an antioxidant activity of 17895.4-16526.2 mg Eq. Trolox/100g. The three kinetic models allowed for an adequate prediction of the shelf life. Conclusions. The quality and stability specifications of the lyophilized extract of T. grandis were defined, confirming its potential as a natural phytosanitary product.
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