ARS | Publication request: ANTIOXIDANT, FIBER AND PHENOLIC CONTENT OF SELECT TROPICAL FRUITS GROWN IN FLORIDA

Submitted to: American Chemical Society National Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 20, 2006
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Fruits and vegetables play a significant role in the human diet providing protection against cellular damage caused by exposure to high levels of free radicals. Tropical fruits from south Florida were evaluated for antioxidant activity, total soluble phenolics (TSP), total ascorbic acid (TAA), total dietary fiber (TDF) and pectin. The antioxidant activities, TSP, TAA, TDF and pectin were influenced by cultivar and ripening stage. Antioxidant activity showed high correlations with levels of TSP (r = 0.96) where red guava and carambola exhibited highest and sapodilla and green papaya lowest levels. Guava and mamey exhibited the highest TDF and pectin levels. Phenolic compositions of the tropical fruit were surveyed by HPLC-MS. Carambola and guava were found to be rich in hydrolyzable tannins as well as ellagic acid and catechol for guava. Dragon fruit exhibited an abundance of hydroxycinnamic acids, while lychee was rich in flavonol glycosides.