Enrichment of Mango Fruit Leathers with Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa) Improves Their Phytochemical Content and Antioxidant Properties.

Tshudufhadzo Mphaphuli,Dharini Sivakumar,Vimbainashe E Manhivi,Yasmina Sultanbawa,Retha Slabbert

doi:10.3390/foods9040431

Abstract

Natal plum fruit (Carissa macrocarpa) is indigenous to South Africa and a rich source of cyanidin derivatives. Indigenous fruits play a major role in food diversification and sustaining food security in the Southern African region. Agro-processing of indigenous are practiced adopted by the rural African communities in order to reduce the postharvest wastage of fruit commodities. In the current study, Natal plum was added to mango pulp at different ratios (mango and Natal plum (5:1, 3:1, 2:1)) to develop a healthy-functional snack (fruit leather). The effects of added Natal plum on the availability of antioxidant constituents and in vitro antioxidant properties of a mango-based fruit leather were evaluated by comparing with mango fruit leather. Fruit leather containing mango and Natal plum (2:1) retained the highest content of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside chloride, cyanidin- 3-O-β-sambubioside, epicatechin, apigenin, kaempferol, luteolin, quercetin-3-O-rhamnosyl glucoside, catechin, quinic, and chlorogenic acids, and in vitro antioxidant activity. Proximate analysis showed that 100 g of fruit leather (2:1) contained 63.51 g carbohydrate, 40.85 g total sugar, 0.36 g fat, and 269.88 cal. Therefore, enrichment of mango fruit leather with Natal plum (2:1) increases its phytochemical content and dietary phytochemical intake, especially for school children and adolescents.

Highlights

Natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa) fruit is indigenous to South Africa, has an attractive red colour (Figure 1), and is a rich source of cyanidin derivatives [1]
In light of the aforementioned, the objective of the current study is to evaluate the incorporation of a Natal plum in different proportions to mango-based leather for the improvement of antioxidant constituents and to study in vitro antioxidant activity
Fruit leather containing only mango (M1) demonstrated the highest brightness, whilst fruit leather made of Natal plum (N1) was the darkest due to the lower luminosity (L*); Table 1

Summary

Introduction

Natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa) fruit is indigenous to South Africa, has an attractive red colour (Figure 1), and is a rich source of cyanidin derivatives (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, cyanidin-3-Oβ-sambubioside, and cyanidin-3-O-pyranoside) [1]. These cyanidin derivatives are associated with health benefits such as anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-proliferation, and anti-carcinogenic effects [2]. Diet diversification with traditional underutilized fruits can be one way to tackle hidden hunger [4]. Traditional underutilized fruits are readily available during different seasons; they are harvestable and cost much lower price than commercial fruits such

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Conclusion