Murici, fruit from the Cerrado of Minas Gerais, Brazil: physical and physicochemical characteristics, and occurrence and concentration of carotenoids and vitamins

Abstract

Introduction. The Cerrado is the largest biome in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil; it pres- ents an enormous biodiversity represented by fruit species, highlighting murici (Byrsonima verbas- cifolia).Theobjectiveofourstudywastoinvestigatethephysicalandphysicochemicalcharacteristics, occurrence and concentration of carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin E and folates in murici fruits from the Cerrado of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Materials and methods. Titratable acidity was determined by volumetric neutralization, pH by potentiometry, soluble solids by refractometry, moisture using an oven, ash using a muffle furnace, protein by the micro-Kjeldahl method, total dietary fiber by the non- enzymatic gravimetric method and lipids by Soxhlet extraction; carotenoids and vitamin C were ana- lyzed by HPLC-DAD, and vitamin E and folates by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Results and discussion. The murici pulp contained 7.47 g·100 g -1 carbohydrates, 5.13 g·100 g -1 lipids, 13.58 g·100 g -1 fibers and 71.58 g·100 g -1 moisture. The pH, titratable acidity and soluble solids were 3.93, 0.77 g citric acid·100 g -1 and 10.73 °Brix, respectively. The results indicated that the fruit is an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C (27.24 mg·100 g -1 ), a good source of vitamin E (1819.72 µg·100 g -1 )forchildrenandasourceforadultsandpregnantwomen.Folateswerenotfound in murici. Conclusion. Murici stands out with regard to its nutritional value and can contribute sig- nificantly to the supply of nutrients, especially fiber and vitamin C. Thus, consumption of these fruits should be encouraged among families residing in the Cerrado and in other regions of Brazil. Brazil / Byrsonima verbascifolia / fruits / physicochemical properties / proximate composition / vitamin C / vitami nE/B vitamins