Nutritional characterization of Vasconcellea quercifolia A.St-Hil.: potential for the development of functional food

• Main Authors: Zabelita Fardin FOLHARINI, Carla Roberta ORLANDI, Maira Cristina MARTINI, Fernanda BRUXEL, Taciélen ALTMAYER, Débora Tairini BRIETZKE, Tamara Engelmann GONÇALVES, Jordana FINATTO, Eduardo Miranda ETHUR, Neusa Fernandes de MOURA, Lucélia HOEHNE, Elisete Maria de FREITAS
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos 2019-04-01
• Series: Food Science and Technology
• Subjects: Caricaceae; functional food; fibres; PANC; proteins; sustainable use of biodiversity
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0101-20612019005005105&lng=en&tlng=en

Abstract Vasconcellea quercifolia A.St-Hil. (Caricaceae) is a non-conventional food plant (PANC) of Brazil. The aim of this study was to investigate the physical, chemical, and nutritional properties of green and ripe fruits and medullary parenchyma of V. quercifolia A.St-Hil., in order to develop functional foods. We determined humidity, pH, ash content, protein content, carbohydrate content, fibre content, carotenoid content, ascorbic acid content, and aminograms of green and ripe fruits and of medullary parenchyma from three specimens, following existing methodologies. Green fruits had higher protein and fibre contents, and ripe fruits had higher ash, carbohydrate, and carotenoid contents, higher than other most consumed fruits. On the other hand, medullary parenchyma had higher ash content and humidity. Glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and lysine were the amino acids with the highest contents, mainly in green fruits. Aside from medullary parenchyma, used as food in the past, both green and ripe fruits can be used for the development of new food products with functional properties and potential for new alternatives for consumption.