Degradation compounds of carotenoids formed during heating of a simulated cashew apple juice

The influence of organic acid and heating treatments on carotenoid degradation on a simulated cashew apple juice was assessed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array and mass spectrometry detectors. A total of nineteen carotenoids were separated in unheated simulated cashew apple juice, with all-trans-β-cryptoxanthin and all-trans-β-carotene as the major ones. As a consequence of heating, five xanthophylls disappeared, whereas two new cis isomers and five epoxide or furanoid-derivatives were formed and the levels of all cis isomers increased. In addition, 12′-apo-β-carotenal was formed at 90 °C. Two oxidation compounds (12′-apo-β-carotenal and 5,6-epoxy-β-cryptoxanthin) were formed after β-cryptoxanthin heating at 90 °C in an aqueous-based system. In all systems, the amounts of total carotenoids lost were not compensated by those formed. These facts indicated that isomerisation and oxidation to both coloured and non-coloured compounds were the main reactions occurring during heating of carotenoids in aqueous-based and juice systems.