Polyphenols, Carotenoids, Vitamin C Content in Tropical Fruits and Vegetables and Impact of Processing Methods

Emy Njoh Ellong,Katia Rochefort,Sandra Adenet,Corinne Billard

doi:10.4236/fns.2015.63030

Abstract

Thirty-five fruits and seventeen vegetables from Martinique were evaluated for total phenol content (TPC), Vitamin C and carotenoid content. TPC, Vitamin C and carotenoid contents ranged from 11.7 to 978.6 mg/100g, 0.1 to 2853.8 mg/100g and 9.7 to 9269.7 μg/100g respectively. Fruits and vegetables from Martinique have equivalent or higher TPC, Vitamin C and carotenoid contents than fruits and vegetables from temperate climates. Cashew apple had high values for all three parameters (55.8 mg/100g of Vitamin C, 603 mg/100g of TPC and 924 μg/100g of carotenoids). Bassignac mango and mamey apple had the highest carotenoid contents, with 3800.3 and 3199.7 μg/100g respectively. Acerola had the highest Vitamin C and polyphenol contents with 2853.8 μg/100g and 727.4 mg/100g respectively. Pigeon peas had high values for all three parameters (569.2 mg/100g of Vitamin C, 978.6 mg/100g of TPC and 364.3 μg/100g of carotenoids). Pumpkin and watercress had the highest carotenoid content, with 9269.7 and 4339 μg/100g respectively. TPC, Vitamin C and carotenoid content were significantly impacted by processing techniques. TPC, Vitamin C and carotenoid contents decreased by up to 75.78%, 100% and 70.18% respectively, depending on the processing technique used.

Highlights

Limited information on the nutritional profile of tropical fruits is available but several examples cited below suggest the high nutritional potential of tropical fruits and vegetables
Vitamin C is abundant in many fruits and its role in disease prevention may be due to its ability to scavenge free radicals in biological systems [12]
Fruit and vegetable from Martinique were richer than temperate fruits and vegetables in polyphenols, Vitamin C and total carotenoids

Summary

Introduction

Limited information on the nutritional profile of tropical fruits is available but several examples cited below suggest the high nutritional potential of tropical fruits and vegetables. Studies in Africa have shown that high levels of β-carotene in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) could allow diets low in Vitamin A to be rebalanced and decrease deficiencies [1]. Fruits and vegetables provide an optimum mix of antioxidants, such as Vitamin C, polyphenols and carotenoids [5]-[7]. Phenolic compounds represent a major portion of the antioxidants found in many plants [11]. It has been reported that the contribution of phenolic compounds to antioxidant activities is much greater than that of Vitamin C [13]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion