INTEGRAL USE OF PURPLE PASSION FRUIT AS SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS AND BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS FOR HEALTH PROMOTING FOOD

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  • Presentation type: Pôster
  • Track: Chemical and Physico-chemical Food Characterization (FQ)
  • Keywords: Purple passion fruit; Extraction; nutritional value;
  • 1 Universidade de Aveiro

INTEGRAL USE OF PURPLE PASSION FRUIT AS SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS AND BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS FOR HEALTH PROMOTING FOOD

Alexandre Fonseca

Universidade de Aveiro

Abstract

Dietary guidelines recommend the intake of 4-5 servings of fruit a day, given the fact that they provide nutrients and bioactive compounds that promote health and wellbeing. Purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. edulis) is known for its high content in flavonoids and vitamin C and was used in the treatment of several conditions such as sleeping disorders or anxiety. It is usually consumed in fresh for its pulp, while approximately 50% of the fruit weight (corresponding to peel and seeds) is normally discarded or used in low-value applications. With sustainability and the rational use of natural resources in mind, we aim to shed light on the nutritional value of the three main components of purple passion fruit (pulp, peel and seeds). Given their relevance in the prevention and/or management of numerous chronic diseases, total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of the fruit components were also evaluated. Carbohydrates were the main macronutrients found in pulp and peel, while seeds contain a substantial lipidic fraction (22.0 g/100g DW). A high content of Vitamin C was found in peel and pulp (458 and 103 mg/100g DW, respectively), corresponding to 508% and 114% of recommended daily intake, respectively. Significant amounts of minerals were found in all the samples and most abundant amino acids detected were aspartic acid, glutamic acid and proline. Analysis of fruit components methanolic extracts revealed that peel and seeds contain considerable amounts of TPC (65.86 and 100.69 mg GAE/g extract) and antioxidant activity (53.04 and 40.24 mg AAE/g extract, 53.97 and 38.38 mg TE/g extract, respectively). This work shows that, besides pulp, that is the fruit part usually consumed and essentially composed of carbohydrates, peels and seeds have potential to be valorized. They can act as sources of dietary fiber, fatty acids, micronutrients and phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity.

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