Determination of bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and chemical composition of Cerrado Brazilian fruits

This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition and to quantify the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities of five Cerrado Brazilian fruit pulps, including marolo, jenipapo, murici, soursop and sweet passion fruit. All of the analysed pulps had high moisture contents (80.16-93.48%), and they were low in protein (0.18-1.35%), lipid (0.10-1.84%) and energy value (21.60-85.47%). The pulp of marolo had the highest content of lipids (1.84%), carbohydrates (16.31%), energy value (85.47%) and highest contents of K (391.48 mg/100 g) and Mg (26.28 mg/100 g) compared with the other pulps. Murici pulp had the highest content of dietary fibre (3.08%). Sweet passion fruit pulp had the highest content of P (34.95 mg/100 g) and Fe (1.06 mg/100 g). The pulp of marolo had the greatest potential for antioxidant activity (131.58 mu mol TEs/g), a higher content of phenolic compounds (739.37 mgGAEs/100 g) and higher concentrations of ascorbic acid (59.05 mg/100 g). The pulps analysed here were low in beta-carotene and lycopene (1.57-1.31 and 0.38-0.88 mg/100 g, respectively). (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.