Influence of preservation methods on the bioactivity of mangaba (Hancornia speciosa Gomes) from the Brazilian savannah

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the behavior of the bioactive compounds and the antioxidant activity of raw mangaba fruit (Hancornia speciosa Gomes), in addition to the influence of preservation methods (freezing, lyophilization, and foam layer drying) on these biocompounds. Samples were evaluated for ascorbic acid, phenolic compound, and carotenoid content and total antioxidant activity by the DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP methods. The analyses were performed in triplicate for each sample and the results were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation. A significant correlation was observed between the content of total phenolic compounds and the total antioxidant activity, as determined by the FRAP method, which showed that the content of ascorbic acid contributed to the antioxidant activity of the samples. The lyophilization process produced the best results for ascorbic acid (372.80 mg/100 g), phenolic compounds (408.86 mg AGE/100 g), and carotenoids (0.19 mg/100 g). Therefore, as mangaba may be consumed as both a fresh fruit and in a processed form, new markets can be conquered, enabling the fruit to be used as functional food.