Ascorbic Acid Content, Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Brazilian Savannah Native Fruits

The Brazilian Savannah (Cerrado biome) produces several native fruits, such as cagaita ( Eugenia dysenterica DC), cerrado cashew ( Anacardium othonianum Rizz.) and gabiroba ( Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess.) O. Berg), which are widely used as food and in folk medicine. In the present study, these fruits were investigated as potential sources of antioxidant substances. The fruits were characterized concerning the total ascorbic acid content by liquid chromatograph equipped with diode‐array detector (HPLC‐DAD), total phenolic compounds by UV/visible spectrophotometry, antioxidant capacity by three different methods (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl [DPPH], Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power [FRAP], and Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity [ORAC]), and the flavonoids composition by HPLC‐DAD. The gabiroba presented higher contents of ascorbic acid (614.9 mg.kg −1 ) and total phenolics (12,225.9 mg GAE.kg −1 ), and greater antioxidant capacity than cagaita and cerrado cashew. Nevertheless, the three fruits showed considerable contents of bioactive compounds in relation to other Brazilian native fruits. The correlation coefficients between total ascorbic acid or total phenolic contents and antioxidant capacity were high and significant (0.970 ≤ r ≤ 0.998; P < 0.05). Quercetin derivatives were found in cagaita (19.4 mg.kg −1 ) and myricetin derivatives in cerrado cashew fruit (12.0 mg.kg −1 ). The gabiroba showed relevant catechin content (233.2 mg.kg −1 ). Besides, peonidin 3‐glucoside was the main anthocyanin in cerrado cashew fruit, which flavonoids composition was first identified in this study. These Brazilian native fruits may be considered as important sources of natural antioxidants and potential alternatives of bioactive compounds for food science and nutrition. The gabiroba (C. adamantium) stands out from other fruits because of its relevant content of vitamin C and of phenolic compounds, particularly catechin, and because of its high antioxidant capacity. Support or Funding Information Conselho Nacional de ...