Isabella Montenegro Brasil

Quantification of bioactive compounds in pulps and by-products of tropical fruits from Brazil

This study aimed to quantify the levels of resveratrol, coumarin, and other bioactives in pulps and by-products of twelve tropical fruits from Brazil obtained during pulp production process. Pineapple, acerola, monbin, cashew apple, guava, soursop, papaya, mango, passion fruit, surinam cherry, sapodilla, and tamarind pulps were evaluated as well as their by-products (peel, pulps leftovers, and seed). Total phenolic, anthocyanins, yellow flavonoids, β-carotene and lycopene levels were also determined. Resveratrol was identified in guava and surinam cherry by-products and coumarin in passion fruit, guava and surinam cherry by-products and mango pulp. These fruit pulp and by-products could be considered a new natural source of both compounds. Overall, fruit by-products presented higher (P<0.05) bioactive content than their respective fruit pulps. This study provides novel information about tropical fruits and their by-products bioactive composition, which is essential for the understanding of their nutraceutical potential and future application in the food industry.

Physical-chemical changes during extraction and clarification of guava juice

Pink guavas from Ibiapaba plateau (Serra Grande) in Ubajara country, CE, Brazil, were mashed and the pulp treated with 600 ppm of a pectic enzyme at 45°C for 120 min. The pulp so-treated was pressed to give an average juice yield of 84.70%. The pressed juice was cloudy and pink in colour but, after addition of fining agents and filtration, a clear juice with a light yellow colour was obtained. This clear juice was preserved by the Hot-pack method. During the extraction and clarification of the juice, some of the important physical and chemical changes were followed by measuring changes in total soluble solids (“Brix), acidity, viscosity, total phenolics content, colour, turbidity and ascorbic acid retention.

Storage stability of cashew apple juice preserved by hot fill and aseptic processes

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) apples from Pacajus, Ceara State, Brazil, were processed into high pulp content juice. The juice was packed either by hot fill or an aseptic process and evaluated for physical, physical-chemical, and sensorial changes during a 12-month storage period at room temperature. The results indicated that pH, soluble solids, total acidity, total sugar content and color did not change significantly during storage nor were affected by the type of filling. The sensorial analysis showed that juice acceptance remained high throughout the storage period regardless of the filling system. Differences in juice viscosity persisted between both processes.

Effect of antioxidant potential of tropical fruit juices on antioxidant enzyme profiles and lipid peroxidation in rats.

Fruits are a rich source of a variety of biologically active compounds that can have complementary and overlapping mechanisms of action, including detoxification, enzyme modulation and antioxidant effects. Although the effects of tropical fruits have been examined individually, the interactive antioxidant capacity of the bioactive compounds in these formulations has not been sufficiently explored. For this reason, this study investigated the effect of two tropical fruit juices (FA and FB) on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in rats. Seven groups, with eight rats each, were fed a normal diet for 4 weeks, and were force-fed daily either water (control), 100, 200, or 400 mg of FA or FB per kg. The results showed that the liver superoxide dismutase and catalase activities (FA200), erythrocytes glutathione peroxidase (FB400) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (FB100, FA400, FB200, FB400) were efficiently reduced by fruit juices when compared with control; whereas HDL-c increased (FB400).

Identification and Quantification of Oxidoselina-1,3,7(11)-Trien-8-One and Cyanidin-3-Glucoside as One of the Major Volatile and Non-Volatile Low-Molecular-Weight Constituents in Pitanga Pulp.

The pulp of pitanga (Eugenia uniflora L.) is used to prepare pitanga juice. However, there are no reports on the identification and quantification of the main constituents in pitanga pulp. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify the major volatile and non-volatile low-molecular-weight constituents of the pulp. Isolation of volatile compounds was performed by solvent-assisted flavor evaporation technique. Characterization of the main volatile and non-volatile constituents was performed by GC-MS, LC-MS and NMR spectroscopy. For quantitative measurements, the main volatile compound needed to be isolated from pitanga pulp to obtain a commercially not available reference standard. Cyanidin-3-glucoside was determined as one of the most abundant non-volatile pulp compound yielding 53.8% of the sum of the intensities of all ions detected by LC-MS. Quantification of cyanidin-3-glucoside in pitanga pulp resulted in a concentration of 344 ± 66.4 μg/mL corresponding to 688 ± 133 μg/g dried pulp and 530 ± 102 μg/g fruit. For the volatile fraction, oxidoselina-1,3,7(11)-trien-8-one was identified as the main volatile pulp constituent (27.7% of the sum of the intensities of all ions detected by GC-MS), reaching a concentration of 89.0 ± 16.9 μg/mL corresponding to 1.34 ± 0.25 μg/g fresh pulp and 1.03 ± 0.19 μg/g fruit. The results provide quantitative evidence for the occurrence of an anthocyanin and an oxygenated sesquiterpene as one of the major volatile and non-volatile low-molecular-weight compounds in pitanga pulp.

Postharvest Quality of Fruits and Vegetables: An Overview

Abstract The chapter refers to the considerations and updates regarding postharvest fruit and vegetable quality. This approach exposes the major parameters and attributes of fruits and vegetables after cultivation, with consumers or product makers as the final destination. Furthermore, it discusses the main factors that influence in senescence and ways to control to maintain freshness, color, and firmness, among many other important sensorial attributes that reflect directly in the product quality along with its acceptance. Many studies presented in this chapter show methods and controlling technologies that play a role in quality, such as special packages and modified atmosphere; gas regulators; materials used in transport and its degree of damage in fruits and vegetables; color preservation and the effect in maintenance of fruit characteristic; soluble solids content during postharvest chain; shelf life in respect to temperature control; new methods to control quality decay in postharvest fruits and vegetables in general. Studies in the postharvest field are fundamental to stimulate new technologies and provide increasingly a wider variety of fruits and vegetables with extended shelf life with appreciable quality.