Chemical composition of fruits and seeds from floodplain biotopes of the Pantanal do Mato Grosso near Cuiabá, Brazil, in comparison to those from similar ones of Central Amazonia.

The chemical composition of 16 fruit species of floodplain biotopes near Cuiabá in the Pantanal do Mato Grosso were determined. Some hints concerning the morphology of the fruits, data obtained by proximate analyses (crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, crude ash, soluble carbohydrates), content of polyphenols, phosphates and silicates, the concentrations of macro- (K, Ca, Mg, Na) and some microelement (Fe, Mn, Sr) are presented. The differences between the chemical composition of fruits of the Pantanal do Mato Grosso and those from Central Amazonia (Waldhoff et al., 1997), as well as the relationship to the respective water and soil qualities of the different biotopes are discussed