Antioxidant Metabolism during Fruit Development of Different Acerola (Malpighia emarginata D.C) Clones

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 60; no. 32; pp. 7957 - 7964
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Luciana De Siqueira, Moura, Carlos Farley Herbster, De Brito, Edy Sousa, Mamede, Rosa Virgínia Soares, De Miranda, Maria Raquel Alcântara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 15-08-2012
• Subjects: anthocyanins; antioxidant activity; antioxidants; Antioxidants - analysis; Antioxidants - metabolism; ascorbic acid; Ascorbic Acid - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; clones; cyanidin; dietary supplements; enzyme activity; enzymes; Flavonoids - analysis; Food industries; food industry; Fruit - chemistry; Fruit - growth & development; Fruit - metabolism; Fruit and vegetable industries; fruiting; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Lipid Peroxidation; Malpighia emarginata; Malpighiaceae; markets; metabolism; Oxidative Stress; phenols; Phenols - analysis; quercetin; ripening; enzymes; antioxidant; acerola; vitamin C; ripening; Ripening; Fruit; Enzyme; Vitamin; Development; Antioxidant; Metabolism; Clone
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf3005614

The present research work describes the major changes in the antioxidant properties during development of acerola from five different clones. Ripening improved fruit physicochemical quality parameters; however, total vitamin C and total soluble phenols (TSP) contents declined during development, which resulted in a lower total antioxidant activity (TAA). Despite the decline in TSP, at ripening, the anthocyanin and yellow flavonoid content increased and was mainly constituted of cyanidin 3-rhamnoside and quercetin 3-rhamnoside, respectively. The activities of oxygen-scavenging enzymes also decreased with ripening; furthermore, the reduction in vitamin C was inversely correlated to membrane lipid peroxidation, indicating that acerola ripening is characterized by a progressive oxidative stress. Among the studied clones, II47/1, BRS 237, and BRS 236 presented outstanding results for vitamin C, phenols, and antioxidant enzyme activity. If antioxidants were to be used in the food supplement industry, immature green would be the most suitable harvest stage; for the consumer’s market, fruit should be eaten ripe.