Healthful and nutritional components in select Florida tropical fruits.
Baldwin E., Manthey J. A., Luzio G., Goodner K., Plotto A., Mahattanatawee K., Gmitter F.
Author Affiliation: USDA-ARS Citrus and Subtropical Products Laboratory, Winter Haven, Florida, USA.
Proceedings of the tropical fruits in human nutrition and health conference 2008, Couran Cove Island Resort, Gold Coast, Australia, 8-11 November 2008 : 60-66
Abstract : Fourteen tropical fruits from south Florida (red guava, white guava, carambola, red pitaya (red dragon), white pitaya (white dragon), mamey, sapodilla, lychee, longan, green mango, ripe mango, green papaya and ripe papaya) were evaluated for phenolic compounds, anti-oxidant activity, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), total fibre and pectin. ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, radical scavenging activity) assays were used to determine antioxidant activity. The total soluble phenolics (TSP), ORAC, and DPPH ranged from 205.4 to 2316.7 µg gallic acid equivalent/g puree, 0.03 to 16.7 µmole Trolox equivalent/g puree and 2.1 to 620.2 µg gallic acid equivalent/g puree, respectively. Phenolic components included ellagic acid, quercetin glycosides, gallic acid conjugates, catechin, catechin conjugates, hydroxycinnamates, flavone glycoside, kaempferol, mangiferin, and gallotannins. Total ascorbic acid (TAA), total dietary fibre (TDF) and pectin ranged from 13.6 to 159.6 mg/100 g, 0.88 to 7.25 g/100 g and 0.2 to 1.04 g/100 g, respectively. For tangerine lines, TAA ranged from 14.9-331.1 mg/100 g, ?-carotene 3-206 µg/100 g, ?-carotene 3-256 µg/100 g and ?-cryptoxanthin 0.1-70 µg/100 g. The anti-oxidant activities, TSP, TAA, TDF and pectin appeared to be influenced by cultivar (papaya, guava and dragon fruit) and ripening stage (papaya and/or mango). Some of the above tropical fruits as well as tangerine hybrids were analysed for carotenoid content. Citrus peel was studied for healthful compounds including polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) that have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and cardio-protective activities. Data demonstrate the potential benefits of several of these fruits as well as citrus peel for human health.