Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Exotic Fruits and Commercial Frozen Pulps from Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this work was to characterize exotic fruits (cambuci, araça-boi, camu-camu, jaracatia, araça) and commercial frozen pulps (araça, cambuci, umbu, coquinho, pana, native passion fruit, cagaita) from Brazil in relation to their bioactive compounds contents and antioxidant capacity. Camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia) presented the highest vitamin C and total phenolics contents (397 and 1797 mg/100 gf.w., respectively) and the highest DPPH• scavenging capacity. Coquinho (Butia capitata) also showed a significant vitamin C content (43 mg/100 gf.w.). Among the commercial frozen pulps, cagaita presented the higher DPPH scavenging activity and inhibition of β-carotene bleaching. A good correlation between total phenols and DPPH scavenging activity was found for fruits (r = 0.997) and commercial frozen pulps (r = 0.738). However, no correlation was found for total phenols and inhibition of β-carotene bleaching. Quercetin and kaempferol derivatives were the main flavonoids present in all samples and cyanidin derivatives were detected only in camu-camu. Camu-camu and araça (Psidium guineensis) showed the highest total ellagic acid contents (48 and 63.5 mg/100 gf.w.). All commercial frozen pulps presented lower contents of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity than their respective fruits. According to our results, camu-camu and araça might be sources of bioactive compounds.