ABSTRACT
This study aimed to quantify polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of four fruits native to the coast of Ceara under different maturation stages aiming their use for a healthier diet. Myrtle (Eugenia punicifolia (Kunth) DC.) fruits were collected at the Botanical State Park of Ceara, in Caucaia-CE and guajiru (Chrisobalanus icaco L.), manipuça (Mouriri cearensis Huber) and murici-pitanga (Byrsonima gardneriana A. Juss.) fruits were collected at the Botanical Garden of São Gonçalo, São Gonçalo do Amarante-CE. Fruits were collected and transported to the Laboratory of Plant Ecophysiology, being characterized, processed and frozen for chemical assessments at the Laboratory of Physiology and Postharvest Technology - Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical: polyphenolic compounds and total antioxidant activity. The ESTAT software was used for statistical analyses. The polyphenolic content had the highest and the lowest value for guajiru fruits with 480.73 and 10.90 mg/100 g, respectively and total antioxidant activity, the highest value was found for manipuça fruits, with 42.99 µM of Trolox/g of pulp and the lowest value for guajiru fruits, with 1.45 µM of Trolox/g of pulp. There was a significant correlation between polyphenolic content and total antioxidant activity obtained for guajiru fruits, which showed high correlation coefficient, R = -0.95 (P < 0.05).
Index terms
Eugenia punicifolia; Chrisobalanus icaco; Mouriri cearensis; Byrsonima gardneriana