NUTRITIONAL POTENTIAL AND BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS OF UNCONVENTIONAL FOOD PLANTS FROM THE AMAZON REGION

Eradicating hunger and promoting more sustainable agriculture are commitments made by several nations to meet the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030, including Brazil. From this perspective, seeking new food sources can contribute to achieving these goals. The study aimed to investigate the nutritional composition and bioactive compounds in three species of underutilized Amazonian food plants: Leuenbergeria bleo, Mansoa alliacea and Urera caracasana. The centesimal composition was performed according to the AOAC methodology. Mineral content was analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Sugars were determined by HPAEC-PAD. Total phenolics were analyzed according to the method proposed by Singleton et al. (1999). Total flavonoids were determined according to Zhishen et al. (1999). The species proved to be excellent sources of fiber (3 to 18%). M. alliacea showed highest values for proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and total fiber. Among the sugars, glucose (2.1 to 3.7 mg/g), fructose (1.6 to 3.7 mg/g) and sucrose (about 3 mg/g) stood out. The highest concentrations of glucose and fructose were found in L. bleo. Nystose was the only fructooligosaccharide found in the plants. Potassium was the most abundant mineral (461 to 896 mg/g dry basis), followed by calcium (69 to 337 mg/g dry basis). L. bleo showed the highest levels in almost all minerals, except for potassium, whose highest content was detected in leaves of U. caracasana. Phenolic and flavonoid contents ranged from 30 to 143 mg gallic acid.g-1 and 13 to 55 mg catechin.g-1 (dry basis), respectively, with emphasis on M. alliacea. The results indicate that the studied plants are potential sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds that promote health and can be incorporated into the diet or used as possible functional ingredients in food products.