Carotenoid composition of fresh yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis)

A composição de carotenóides de maracujá-amarelo in natura (Passiflora edulis) comercializado em Campinas, Brasil, foi avaliada utilizando-se cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência. Em todas as amostras foram encontrados os seguintes carotenóides: beta-criptoxantina, prolicopeno, cis-zeta-caroteno, zeta-caroteno, beta-caroteno e 13-cis-beta-caroteno, além de neurosporeno e gama-caroteno em alguns lotes. Em geral, os teores de carotenóides nos diversos lotes foram significativamente diferentes. Em dois dos cinco lotes analisados, o z-caroteno foi o carotenóide principal, contribuindo com 41 e 62% do total de carotenóides, enquanto que em outros dois lotes, o beta-caroteno foi o majoritário, com 55 e 74% do total e em um dos lotes o cis-zeta-caroteno esteve presente em maior concentração, com 29%. Este tipo de inversão entre os carotenóides majoritários não é comumente encontrado em frutas e vegetais.The carotenoid composition of fresh yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) commercialized in Campinas, Brazil, was evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography. In all the samples, the following carotenoids were found: beta-cryptoxanthin, prolycopene, cis-zeta-carotene, zeta-carotene, beta-carotene, 13-cis-beta-carotene. Besides that neurosporene and gamma-carotene were also found in some lots. In general, the carotenoid contents were significantly different amongst the lots. In two of the five lots, zeta-carotene was the major carotenoid, contributing with 41 and 62% of the total carotenoid content, while in other two lots beta-carotene was the main carotenoid, with 55 and 74% of the total carotenoid, and in one of the lots cis-zeta-carotene was present as the major carotenoid, with 29%. The inversion occurring between the main carotenoids is not frequently found in fruits and vegetables