Carotenoid pigments in acerola fruits (Malpighia emarginata DC.) and derived products

Carotenoid composition has been investigated in acerola fruits (Malpighia emarginata DC. syn. Malpighia glabra L.) and derived products. In the ripe fruit, four major carotenoids were identified (-carotene, -cryptoxanthin, lutein, and violaxanthin) together with other minor carotenoids (neoxanthin, antheraxanthin, neochrome, luteoxanthin, auroxanthin, -cryptoxanthin-5,6-epoxide, -cryptoxanthin-5,8-epoxide, cis--carotene, and cis-lutein). An average composition for the ripe fruit has been estimated as follows: -carotene (536.55 g/100 g fw), -cryptoxanthin (417.46 g/100 g fw), lutein (99.21 g/100 g fw), violaxanthin (395.33 g/100 g fw), and total minor carotenoids (197.33 g/100 g fw). Vitamin A values are similar to those described in tomatoes and some tropical fruits such as guava and papaya. After juice-making, including a pasteurization stage as thermal processing, decreases in carotenoid content were observed as well as progress of cis-isomers and structural rearrangement of xanthophylls containing 5,6 epoxide groups. The occurrence of such modifications affected the nutritional value of fruits as well as their antioxidant capability, properties that could be used as a measurement of processing quality.This work was financially supported by the Dirección General de Investigación of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCYT, Spanish Government), project AGL2000–0699, and by the University do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI).Peer reviewe