Abstract
Pitombeira fruits have characteristics that provide them with industrial and processed consumption, but they are barely studied, resulting in the need to obtain more information about the species’ potential and its utilization to various purposes. In face of these facts, a physical, chemical-physical and a determination of bioactive compounds post-harvest characterization of pitombeira fruits was done. The fruits were acquired in a street Market in the municipality of Sousa-PB, Brazil, and taken to the Food Analysis Laboratory of the Center of the Federal University of Campina Grande, in the municipality of Pombal-PB, Brazil. Fruits were selected by the absence of physical damage and diseases, as well as by their ripening stage and size, and refrigerated at 4 ºC. Gone 15 repetitions with 25 fruits, 20 fruits were destined to chemical-physical and determination of bioactive compounds analysis and the 5 remaining fruits to the physical analysis. Pitombeira fruits had ideal functional characteristics and necessary to the development and processing of new products, such as high protein content (31.72% in the seed and 39.72% in the skin), phenolic compounds (101.47% in the seed and 106.61% in the skin) and carotenoids (10.14% in the seed and 23.39% in the seed husk). In particular, Pitomba’s pulp can be used for in natura consumption as well as processed, since it has high contents of mineral residue, soluble solids and vitamin C. Pitomba fruits have excellent physical, chemical-physcial and bioactive compounds characteristics, as observed in the high contents of proteins, phenolic compounds, carotenoids and flavonoids in all parts of the fruit. With all these characteristics presented, products such as juices, beverages, bakery products and even food supplements can be made form the pitomba.
Highlights
In recent years, interest in native fruit species has increased considerably, both by researchers and consumers more concerned about lifestyle and healthy eating habits
In the Caatinga, many species have fruits that are used as food, the native fruit trees that occur in the Northeast are still known scientifically (Éder-Silva, 2006)
Pitomba fruits were bought in a street market in the city of Sousa-PB, Brazil, and were later taken to the Food Analysis Laboratory of the Agrifood Science and Technology Center of the Federal University of Campina Grande, in the municipality of Pombal-PB, Brazil, in a proper car, stored in cardboard boxes at room temperature
Summary
Interest in native fruit species has increased considerably, both by researchers and consumers more concerned about lifestyle and healthy eating habits. The Brazilian native fruits are among the most tasty and nutritious in the world, many of them are only known by the local population or appear seasonally in some specific regions (Ferreira et al, 2005). In the Caatinga, many species have fruits that are used as food, the native fruit trees that occur in the Northeast are still known scientifically (Éder-Silva, 2006). The pitombeira (Talisia esculenta Radlk), from Sapindaceae family, is a species native to the Amazon region, being found in the interior of primary dense forests, as well as in formations but always in alluvial floodplains and deep of valleys, mainly in transition areas of Cerrado and Caatinga, in the North, Northeast and Southeast of Brazil (Guarim Neto et al, 2003). The seeds are elongated, with reddish brows just after the fruit has been removed and dark when dry, surrounded by whitish pink aryl and edible
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