Qualidade e metabolismo antioxidante no desenvolvimento de frutos de clones de aceroleira.

Abstract

Acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC) has already established the potential for industrialization since it is consumed in the form of juices and jellies, used in the enrichment of food products and as nutraceuticals. The fruit ripening is a complex process of development, involving numerous changes in the biochemical, physiological and sensory as well as in oxidative metabolism by determining its quality attributes and antioxidant properties. This research was to study changes in antioxidant metabolites and total antioxidant capacity of fruits of different clones of acerola during development and maturation. Acerola fruits, FS, FB and BRS 366, were analyzed at different maturity stages for quality parameters post-harvest, antioxidant compounds, total antioxidant activity (TAA) and antioxidant enzymes activity. During the development of acerola soluble solids content increased, especially in the fruits of acerola clone FS, the vitamin C content and total extractable polyphenols (TEP) decreased resulting in a decline in antioxidant activity of fruits. The activities of oxygen-scavenging enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) decreased during the ripening of fruits. The maturation of the tropical species studied was accompanied by an increased oxidative stress, which may contribute to the observed changes in the postharvest quality of fruit and a decline in their antioxidant potential.