Acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC): Production, Postharvest Handling, Nutrition, and Biological Activity

Abstract

Acerola is a cherry-like tropical fruit that is very popular in Central America, the Caribbean countries (especially in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti), and Brazil. This fruit, which has a red color at complete maturity, is valued mostly for its vitamin C content. Recent research showed that in addition to vitamin C, acerola fruit may be a good source of phytochemicals such as anthocyanins, nonanthocyanin phenolic compounds, and dietary carotenoids. Because these compounds are known as bioactive due to their strong antioxidant capacity, acerola fruit is attracting the attention of food researchers and the exotic fruit market. One of the problems faced by acerola growers and processors is that acerola fruit is highly perishable at complete maturity, resulting in serious quality losses during and after harvest. Therefore, the harvest and the postharvest handling are very important to obtain fruits with acceptable quality. The first part of this review is a complete analysis of the available information on the production and the postharvest handling of acerola fruit. In the second part of this paper, information regarding the chemistry, nutrition, and potential biological activity of acerola fruit is reviewed and put into perspective.