FATTY ACID QUANTIFICATION, MINERALS AND PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF PULP, SEED, IN NATURA AND PROCESSED PEELS OF SEVEN TROPICAL FRUITS
Fruit consumption has been related to disease prevention and health benefits, due to the presence of essential fatty acids, minerals and fiber. Thus, present study evaluated fatty acids (FA) quantification, minerals, and proximal composition in pulp, seed, peel in natura, oven dried and freeze dried of avocado, pineapple, banana, papaya, passion fruit, watermelon and melon. Fruit seeds and avocado pulp presented the highest contents of total lipids, between 3.97±0.30 and 28.67±7.87 %DB (dry basis) by Bligh and Dyer, and fifteen different FA were quantified, according to Visentainer. The highest amount of total FA summary (from 9608.95±1584.59 to 24700.03±657.47 mg100g-1DB) and total omega-6 summary (between 703.41±30.22 and 15965.22±651.31 mg100g-1DB) were found in avocado pulp and in the other fruit seeds. Although pulps and peels presented the highest summary of omega-3 FA (from 44.97±2.99 to 299.41±9.85 mg100g-1DB). Processed and in natura peels presented significant difference only in summary of omega-3 FA. In general peels and seeds presented the highest quantities of macrominerals (magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium), from 7.15±0.02 to 9770.90±643.45 mg100g-1DB, and of microminerals (copper, iron, manganese and zinc), from 0.66±0.08 to 17.50±2.06 mg100g-1DB), evaluated on atomic mass spectrophotometer. Fruit peels presented the biggest amount of ashes (from 1.58±0.32 to 12.83±0.92 %DB) and crude protein (from 6.31±1.16 to 20.29±5.51%DB), by AOAC methods. Fruit seeds and avocado pulp had the biggest values of crude fiber (between 10.78±2.86 and 56.65±0.52 %DB), by institute Aldolfo Lutz method. Therefore, peel and seed fruits have higher amount of nutrients than their respective pulp, except for avocado.