Abstract
Abstract Butia capitata, native to the Brazilian cerrado, is underutilized for human consumption. The objective was to determine the physical characteristics of the fruit, centesimal composition, bioactive and antioxidant activity. Fruits obtained in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Diameter, height and weight were evaluated. The moisture was analyzed by gravimetry after oven drying, ashes by calcining in a muffle furnace, proteins by the Kjeldahl method, gravimetric lipids after extraction in ethyl ether, carbohydrates by difference and total energy value by conversion factors. Vitamin C, E and carotenoids were analyzed by HPLC, minerals by inductively coupled plasma atomic absorption spectrometry, Folin Ciocalteu solution phenolic compounds, anthocyanins by spectrophotometry and antioxidant capacity by the Radical DPPH. The fruits presented good pulp yield (68.59%), which has a high lipid content (3.42 g.100 g-1) and total energy (83.34 kcal.100 g-1). The pulp contains s-carotene (8.56 mg.100 g-1), vitamin E (121.07 mcg.100 g-1) and high concentrations of vitamin C (53.57 mg.100 g-1), total phenolics (493, 6 mg.100 g-1) and copper (1.80 mg.100 g-1). Almond has a high value of total energy (457.72 kcal.100 g-1), vitamin E (1594.39 mcg.100 g-1) and minerals Cu (2.40 mg.100 g-1) and Mo (0.9.100 g-1). The pulp is a source of carotenoids, vitamin C, copper and total phenolics, both natural antioxidants.
Highlights
Fruit consumption by humans is recognized to be important because it provides nutrients and bioactive compounds that contribute to reducing the risk of developing various diseases, including non-communicable diseases and chronic diseases (Slavin & Lloyd, 2012)
Several fruits underutilized in human food have been receiving special attention from the scientific community as a source of nutrients, bioactive compounds and due to their nutritional and functional properties
Brazil has a great variety of native fruit species still little explored, even being sources of nutritious food for some populations
Summary
Fruit consumption by humans is recognized to be important because it provides nutrients and bioactive compounds that contribute to reducing the risk of developing various diseases, including non-communicable diseases and chronic diseases (Slavin & Lloyd, 2012). Brazil has a great variety of native fruit species still little explored, even being sources of nutritious food for some populations These fruits have great economic and social importance, since they are commercialized/consumed in natura or in the form of products elaborated by the population or by small agroindustries (Magalhães et al, 2008; Schwartz et al, 2010). Among these fruits, we highlight the Butia capitata, a palm native to the Brazilian Cerrado known as coquinho azedo, butiá, coquinho, coco-cabeçudo, butiá-azedo or butiazeiro (Vieira et al, 2006). In other regions, the use of this fruit of the butiá in the feeding is still little diffused
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