Álzate Tamayo, Luz MaríaArteaga González, Diana MaríaGuerrero Eraso, Carlos ArturoRojano, Benjamín Alberto.2016-02-222016-02-2220132256-3903http://hdl.handle.net/10567/1420Fresh fruits and vegetables have had an increase of their demand during the last decade, because there is evidence of the correlation bewteen their consumption and lower risks of chronic and degenerative diseases. Besides, there is a similar trend to consume such food in minimally processed ways(Dudley, Das, Mukherjee & Das, 2009). On the other hand, there is a constant deterioration suffered by fresh fruits and vegetables due to changes, reactions or decomposition that degrade their color, texture and taste. Enzymatic browning reactions are one of the main causes of the deterioration of these natural products and are crucial to define their quality and economic value (Wootton-Beard, Moran & Ryan). Keeping in mind the inerest of contributing to the solution of the commercialization of healthy and minimally transformed fruits, this research work appears to study the anioxidant properties of the peel, the seed and the pulp of the carob and its application on fruits susceptible to such reactions, as the third phase of a research work about the obtainment of natural conservants from this native plant. The objective was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of carob (Hymenaea courbaril Linneaus) on fruits susceptible to enzymatic browning. The study, particularly, starts with a physical-chemical characterization of the peel, the seed and the pulp of the carob. Then, the content of phenols and their antioxidant capacity are analyzed by the use of the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity –ORAC– method in order to, finally, study their application on apples and bananas as reference fruits that suffer from enzymatic browning, by analyzing the browning rates and the change of the normal color. By means of the ANOVA analysis, a statistically significant difference (p < 0,05) between the four variables could be identified (ascorbic acid, seed, pulp and peel) and a high inhibition power before enzymatic browning was demonstrated in the two fruits anayzed. The inhibition was more effective by the use of the carob´s seed in bananas, and by the use of the pulp in apples.esCorporación Universitaria LasallistaFacultad de IngenieríasAlgarrobo (hymenaea courbaril linneaus)AntioxidantesPolifenoloxidasaConservantes naturalesArticle