BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY OF ABRICÓ PULP

Abricó-do-Pará (Mammea Americana L.), originally native to Central America and cultivated in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, is a fruit with fleshy pulp and orange color, consumed as fresh or as ice cream, jelly, and sweets. The few data in the literature suggest that the fruit has antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, and pro-vitamin A activities, the latter attributed to β-carotene. The present work aimed to determine the content of phenolic compounds, total carotenoids, and the antioxidant capacity of Abricó-do-Pará fresh pulp. The fruit pulp was extracted in triplicate for all analyses. For the determination of total phenolic compounds by Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric assay and antioxidant capacity by ORACFL assay, extraction was performed using ethanol:water (90:10 v/v) in an ultrasonic bath (40 kHz, 132W) at 30°C/30 min and centrifuged (10732 g,4 °C, 10 min). The carotenoids were extracted with acetone and partitioned in petroleum ether:ethyl ether (50:50 v/v). Then, the organic phase was evaporated in a rota evaporator at 32 °C and transferred to a 5 mL volumetric flask, the volume filled with petroleum ether. Quantification was carried out by spectrophotometry in the visible region at 450nm. The fruit pulp presented a total phenolic content of 170.99 ± 9.81 mg GAE/100g DB (dry basis), total carotenoids 159.39 ± 1.39 µg β-carotene equivalent/g DB, and antioxidant capacity 25.99 ± 0.68 μmol TE/g DB. The Abricó-do-Pará pulp represents a promising source of bioactive compounds with potent antioxidant capacity. This study adds value to this Amazonian fruit and encourages the cultivation and consumption of these bioactive compounds in the diet.