Cagaita (Eugenia dysenterica DC.) of the Cerrado of Minas Gerais, Brazil: Physical and chemical characterization, carotenoids and vitamins

Abstract

The physical characteristics (diameters, height and mass), chemical composition (tritratable acidity, soluble solids, pH, moisture, ash, protein, lipids and total dietary fiber), occurrence and content of vitamin C (ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid), carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene), vitamin E (α-, β-, γ- and δ-tocopherol and tocotrienol) and folates (tetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate) were evaluated in the cagaita obtained from the Cerrado of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The analyses of vitamin C and carotenoids were performed by HPLC-DAD and vitamin E and folates by HPLC with fluorescence detection. The cagaita pulp presented high content of moisture (91.56g100g−1), vitamin C (34.11mg100g−1) and folates (25.74μg100g−1). The presence of protein (0.63g100g−1), ash (0.18g100g−1), lipids (0.57g100g−1), carbohydrates (5.54g100g−1), dietary fiber (1.54g100g−1) and carotenoids (0.77mg100g−1) was observed in its composition. Vitamin E isomers were not detected. Consumption of cagaita (100g) contributed significantly to supply the daily requirements of vitamin C (on average 71.0%), vitamin A (on average 7.5%) and folates (on average 7.9%). The cagaita showed high pulp yield, reduced total energy value and was considered a source of vitamin C, which play important role in human health.