RESUMEN
Gabiroba, a native fruit in Brazil's Atlantic Forest region, has significant nutritional and therapeutic properties. However, due to its seasonality, consumption by the population is limited. Thus, the development of gabiroba byproducts would add significant value to the food and therapeutic industries. Therefore, it is essential to study and support the lack of toxicity of gabiroba fruit extracts. In the present study, physicochemical analyses of fresh fruits (GF) and dehydrated whole gabiroba flour (WGF) and preliminary toxicity analyses of WGF were performed. The toxicity results showed a microcrustacean LC50 of >1000 mg/mL when exposed to WGF extracts at various concentrations (10-1000 µg/mL; p = 0.062) using the Artemia salina method, with no evidence observed of proliferative activity or toxic metabolic compounds in the WGF extract. The phytotoxicity of WGF using Lactuca sativa L. allowed germination and root growth at various concentrations of WGF extract, with the lowest (100 µg/mL) and highest (1000 µg/mL) concentrations exhibiting 98.3% and 100% seed germination, respectively. In conclusion, these results indicate that the WGF preparation preserved the nutritional and antioxidant potential of gabiroba fruits and that WGF is safe for use as a raw material in the food industry and for therapeutic purposes.
RESUMEN
Fruits from Ziziphus joazeiro from Mata Paraibana (MP), Borborema (BB), Agreste (AG) and Sertão Paraibano (SP) were assessed to determine their morphological characteristics, nutritional composition, content and bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. In general, juá fruits presented ovoid shape, high moisture (65.33-72.53%), low acidity, with succinic acid being the predominant organic acid, and high dietary fiber content (8.98-10.81%), mostly insoluble fibers (5.72-8.02%). Fruits from MP presented the highest amounts of free phenolic compounds (24.27 mg/100 g) and the highest antioxidant activity in the DPPH, FRAP and ORAC assays. In MP fruits, epigallocatechin gallate (12.04 mg/100 g) was the major compound, while in fruits from other states, phenolic compounds were the major compounds. The bioaccessibility of catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, procyanidin and syringic acid varied among fruits from different regions. Fruits from SP presented the highest phenolic content in the bioaccessible fraction and highest antioxidant activity in all assays. The findings of this study indicate that juá is a non-acidic fruit with highest moisture, source of fiber, majority insoluble fibers and bioaccessible flavanols.
