Murici, fruit from the Cerrado of Minas Gerais, Brazil: physical and physicochemical characteristics, and occurrence and concentration of carotenoids and vitamins

Introduction. The Cerrado is the largest biome in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil; it presents an enormous biodiversity represented by fruit species, highlighting murici (Byrsonima verbascifolia). The objective of our study was to investigate the physical and physicochemical characteristics, occurrence and concentration of carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin E and folates in murici fruits from the Cerrado of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Materials and methods. Titratable acidity was determined by volumetric neutralization, pH by potentiometry, soluble solids by refractometry, moisture using an oven, ash using a muffle furnace, protein by the micro-Kjeldahl method, total dietary fiber by the non-enzymatic gravimetric method and lipids by Soxhlet extraction; carotenoids and vitamin C were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, and vitamin E and folates by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Results and discussion. The murici pulp contained 7.47 g·100 g–1 carbohydrates, 5.13 g·100 g–1 lipids, 13.58 g·100 g–1 fibers and 71.58 g·100 g–1 moisture. The pH, titratable acidity and soluble solids were 3.93, 0.77 g citric acid·100 g–1 and 10.73 °Brix, respectively. The results indicated that the fruit is an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C (27.24 mg·100 g–1), a good source of vitamin E (1819.72 μg·100 g–1) for children and a source for adults and pregnant women. Folates were not found in murici. Conclusion. Murici stands out with regard to its nutritional value and can contribute significantly to the supply of nutrients, especially fiber and vitamin C. Thus, consumption of these fruits should be encouraged among families residing in the Cerrado and in other regions of Brazil

Comparison of mineral and trace element contents between organically and conventionally grown fruit

Introduction. Many consumers buy organic foods because of their alleged greater nutritional benefits. However, studies investigating the effect of the agricultural farming system on minerals and toxic elements content are scarce. This study compared the content of minerals (P, Ca, Mg, Na and K) and trace elements (Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Se, Zn, Mo, Ni, Cd and Al) of four organically and conventionally grown fruits in Brazil. Materials and methods. Mango (Mangifera indica L., var. Palmer), persimmon (Diospyros kaki L., var. Rama Forte), acerola (Malpighia punicifolia L., var. Olivier) and strawberry (Fragaria vesca L., var. Oso Grande) were produced by organic and conventional farming in the same geographic region, under the same climatic conditions and same type of soil. Mineral analysis was performed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Results and discussion. Organic mango contained higher amounts of Mg and K, and Cr content was higher in conventionally grown mangos. Organic persimmon contained higher amounts of Cu and Zn, and Mg, P, Na, and K concentration was higher in conventional persimmon. Conventionally grown acerola contained higher amounts of Ca, Fe, Mn, Mo, Al, and Ni than the organic acerola. The concentrations of Mo and Al were higher in organic strawberry when compared to conventional strawberry. Conclusion. Organic farming did not result in a clear superiority of the mineral quality of fruit nor did it provide fruit free of toxic elements

Addition of pooled pumpkin seed to mixed meals reduced postprandial glycemia: a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial

We investigated if pumpkin and flaxseeds could improve postprandial glycemic, food intake, and appetitive responses. Herein, we hypothesize based on the literature that pumpkin seed has potential to lower postprandial glycemic effects. Therefore, we conducted a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design study involving normoglycemic adults (food intake: n = 25; glycemia: n = 15). Three high-carbohydrate mixed meals presenting no seed (control [C]) or 65 g of the tested seeds (pumpkin seed [P] or flaxseed [F]) were consumed in 3 nonconsecutive days. Test meals had similar nutritional composition. Blood glucose was measured by capillary finger blood at 0 (immediately before), 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after the ingestion of each meal, and the incremental area under glycemic response curves (iAUC) were calculated. Appetitive responses were assessed, and dietary records were used to evaluate food intake on testing days. Glucose iAUC was significantly lower in P compared with C (reduction of ~35%, P = .025). There was no significant differences in glucose iAUC between F and C (P = .257). Glycemic response at each time point did not differ between C, P, and F (Pgroup × time = .238). Fiber consumption was higher in F (P = .009) than in C, but there were no differences in appetitive responses, energy, or macronutrient consumptions between dietary interventions. Acute consumption of 65 g of pumpkin seed markedly reduced postprandial glycemia. Pumpkin seed has potential as a hypoglycemic food, which now deserves to be confirmed in long-term studies