Articles
Quality and key bioactive compounds in ripe Tacinga inamoena (K. Schum) fruit portions
Article number
1343_68
Pages
539 – 544
Language
English
Abstract
In northeastern Brazil, the occurrence of Cactaceae species is vast; some of which are still poorly studied, but which are used in popular medicine, are consumed locally as fresh fruit, but whose potential use can be expanded based on the description of the composition of specific portions of the fruit, such as those of Tacinga inamoena (K. Schum) NP Taylor & Stuppy.
This work aimed to evaluate the quality and key bioactive compound contents of T. inamoena fruits in the peel and pulp portions, in order to show the potential of these fruits for fresh consumption and use in agro-industries.
Cladodes with fully ripe fruits (reddish-orange color) were collected from an area of occurrence of plants in the municipality of Picuí, state of Paraíba.
In the laboratory, fruits were selected for maturity, uniformity and quality, and for evaluations, a completely randomized experimental design was applied.
The whole fruits were evaluated for physical (48 replications), physicochemical attributes (4 replications), and pulp and peel for bioactive compounds (4 replications). The fruit pulp has medium soluble solids (SS) content, but low titratable acidity (TA) levels, which gives it a high SS/TA ratio.
The fruit pulp also has significant contents of ascorbic acid and betacyanins.
In turn, the peel of T. inamoena fruits is a significant source of total extractable polyphenols, with contents approximately 4 times higher than pulp, in addition to betaxanthins, bioactive compounds that certainly give it a high functional potential.
Based on the nutritional characteristics and the contribution of bioactive compounds, in addition to the appeal for fresh consumption, the fruits of T. inamoena have a wide potential to be used in the agro-industry for coloring and enrichment, aiming at increasing the functional properties and added value for widely consumed products providing an opportunity for financial return to the population in areas where these plants occur.
This work aimed to evaluate the quality and key bioactive compound contents of T. inamoena fruits in the peel and pulp portions, in order to show the potential of these fruits for fresh consumption and use in agro-industries.
Cladodes with fully ripe fruits (reddish-orange color) were collected from an area of occurrence of plants in the municipality of Picuí, state of Paraíba.
In the laboratory, fruits were selected for maturity, uniformity and quality, and for evaluations, a completely randomized experimental design was applied.
The whole fruits were evaluated for physical (48 replications), physicochemical attributes (4 replications), and pulp and peel for bioactive compounds (4 replications). The fruit pulp has medium soluble solids (SS) content, but low titratable acidity (TA) levels, which gives it a high SS/TA ratio.
The fruit pulp also has significant contents of ascorbic acid and betacyanins.
In turn, the peel of T. inamoena fruits is a significant source of total extractable polyphenols, with contents approximately 4 times higher than pulp, in addition to betaxanthins, bioactive compounds that certainly give it a high functional potential.
Based on the nutritional characteristics and the contribution of bioactive compounds, in addition to the appeal for fresh consumption, the fruits of T. inamoena have a wide potential to be used in the agro-industry for coloring and enrichment, aiming at increasing the functional properties and added value for widely consumed products providing an opportunity for financial return to the population in areas where these plants occur.
Publication
Authors
T.L. Bulhões, A.S.B. Sousa, E.F.S. Santos, R.L. Dantas, S.M. Silva
Keywords
betalains, betaxanthins, food enrichment, value-adding, peel, pulp
Groups involved
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