Wild fruits and pulps of frozen fruits: antioxidant activity, polyphenols and anthocyanins

Os sucos de frutas tropicais conquistam cada vez mais o mercado consumidor, sendo o Brasil um dos principais produtores. Existe grande diversidade de produtos derivados de frutos e constante inserção de novos produtos no mercado de consumo, os quais, na maioria das vezes, ainda não foram devidamente pesquisados com respeito às suas propriedades e atividades benéficas à saúde. Neste trabalho, objetiva-se determinar algumas propriedades de frutos tropicais silvestres in natura e polpas de frutos comercializados congelados. Para determinar a atividade antioxidante, utilizou-se o método do radical 2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidrazilo (DPPH•); para determinar os polifenóis totais, o método de Folin-Ciocalteu e, para as antocianinas, o método da diferença de pH. As polpas de frutas analisadas foram de amora, uva, açaí, goiaba, morango, acerola, abacaxi, manga, graviola, cupuaçu e maracujá; e os frutos silvestres, jambolão e baguaçu. Representada em TEAC (atividade antioxidante equivalente a Trolox), a atividade antioxidante global das polpas oscila entre mínimos e máximos 0,5 e 53,2μmol g-1, enquanto que, representada em VCEAC (atividade antioxidante equivalente a vitamina C), entre mínimos e máximos de 64,8 e 1198,9mg100g-1. Para os extratos de polpa dos frutos in natura, a atividade antioxidante oscila entre 13,3 e 111,2μmol g-1 (TEAC) e entre 42,8 e 2533,1mg 100g-1 (VCEAC). Em ordem decrescente de capacidade antioxidante, encontra-se: acerola> manga> morango> uva> açaí> goiaba> amora> graviola> maracujá> cupuaçu> abacaxi. Os frutos de baguaçu apresentam maior atividade antioxidante que os de jambolão.The tropical fruit juices are gaining ever greater space in the consumer market, and Brazil is one of the main producer countries in this market. There is a great diversity of products derived from fruits and new products for consumption are launched constantly, often without the necessary research into their active properties and beneficial activities to health. The objective of this work was to determine some properties of in natura wild tropical fruit and commercialized frozen fruit pulps. Considered as a method of great applicability, 2.2-difenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH•) was used to determine the antioxidant activity; the Folin-Ciocalteu method was used to determine the total polyphenol concentration and the pH difference was used for anthocyanins. The fruit pulps of greater market consumption in Southern Brazil under analysis were mulberry, grapes, açai, guava, strawberry, acerola, pineapple, mango, graviola, cupuaçu and passion fruit, and the wild fruits were jambolão and baguaçu. When represented in TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant activity), the global antioxidant activity of the frozen fruit pulps oscillated between minimal and maximal TEAC values of 0.5 and 53.2μmol g-1, or between 64.8 and 1198.9mg100 g-1 for VCEAC (vitamin C equivalent antioxidant activity) values. For the in natura fruit pulp extracts, TEAC oscillated between 13.3 and 111.2μmol g-1, and between 42.8 and 2533.1mg100g-1 for VCEAC. The descending order of antioxidant capacity was acerola> mango> strawberry> grapes> açaí> guava> mulberry> graviola> passion fruit> cupuaçu> pineapple. Among the wild fruits, baguaçu presents a greater antioxidant activity than jambolão