Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Bunchosia glandulifera&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Fruit at Different Ripening Stages

Daiane Einhardt Blank,Neusa Fernandes De Moura,Sara Fraga,Danize Justen,Carlos Roberto Peixoto

doi:10.4236/fns.2018.910083

Abstract

Bunchosia glandulifera belongs to the family Malpighiaceae and is popularly known as “caferana” in the city of Santo Antonio da Patrulha. The fruits have a high economic value and their inclusion in the diet has health benefits. They are natural sources of antioxidants because of the presence of bioactive compounds. However, their chemical composition can be influenced by the maturation process. This study aims to evaluate the changes in the bioactive antioxidant compounds in the pulp and seeds of B. glandulifera fruit during different stages of ripening. The fruits, were analyzed for caffeine, carotenoids, flavonoids, vitamin C, and total phenolic content as well as for antioxidant activity, at four different stages of ripening. An increase in bioactive compounds was observed from the second maturation stage to the ripened fruit, and the ripened fruit had the highest bioactive compound content. Phenolic compound and carotenoid levels were found to be highest in the pulp. Carotenoid content showed a positive correlation with the antioxidant activity. Colorimetric analysis also showed a high correlation between the levels of carotenoids and color change during the ripening stages.

Highlights

Bunchosia is one of the three genera belonging to the family Malpighiaceae
Analyzing the chemical composition of the fruit during the different ripening stages can be beneficial for better utilization of the fruit
Phytochemical composition including total phenolics, flavonoids, lycopene, β-carotene, caffeine, vitamin C, and antioxidant activity of the pulp and the seed of B. glandulifera are presented in Table 1 and Table 2, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Bunchosia is one of the three genera belonging to the family Malpighiaceae. The plants are arborescent with fleshy fruits and are usually dispersed by birds [1]. The species glandulifera is one of the most cultivated plants of this genus, especially on small farms. In the city of Santo Antonio da Patrulha it is known as “false-guarana,” and the toasted seed of the fruit is consumed [2]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion