Nutritional and phytochemical composition of the red tamarillo grown in Taiwan

Abstract

This study aims to examine the physicochemical qualities and components of the peel, pulp, mucilage, seed, and whole fruit of the tamarillo. The average longitudinal diameter, transverse diameter, and weight of tamarillo fruits were 4.64–5.59 cm, 3.48–3.84 cm, and 30.24–39.23 g, respectively. The proportions of peel, pulp, mucilage, and seed in the whole fruit were 5.72%, 64.57%, 22.02%, and 7.69%, respectively. Moreover, tamarillo was rich in ascorbic acid, potassium, chlorogenic acid, and anthocyanins but low in fat and sodium. The peel contained the highest amounts of ascorbic acid and potassium, which were 73 and 923 mg/100 g fresh weight, respectively. Moreover, the peel had the highest total phenols and total carotenoids, and the mucilage had the highest total anthocyanins among the different parts of the tamarillo. Similarly, individual hydroxycinnamoyl derivatives and carotenoids were higher in peel, and anthocyanins were higher in mucilage. The proportion of each component and nutrient was diverse among the different parts of the tamarillo. Overall, tamarillo contains an abundance of nutrients, and some of the components have a positive effect on metabolic syndrome and related diseases. There is value in the tamarillo being further developed into functional foods or supplements.