Phytosterols and tocopherols content of pulps and nuts of Brazilian fruits

Fruits and nuts from the North and Northeast regions of Brazil were collected to determine their phytosterol and tocopherol content. The species studied were Cotia nut (Aptandra spruceana M.), Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa H.B.K.), Mucajá (Couma rigida M.), Red Açaí (Euterpe oleracea M.), Inajá (Maximiliana maripa D.), Jenipapo (Genipa Americana L.), Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa L.) and Uxi (Endopleura uchi C.). Phytosterols were analyzed by GC–FID using β-cholestanol as an internal standard, while tocopherols were determined by RP-HPLC-DAD. The pulps of Mucajá (26–236 mg 100 g–1), Inajá (119–285 mg 100 g–1) and Jenipapo (216 mg 100 g–1) showed the highest total phytosterol contents. Considering α-tocopherol equivalents, the pulps of Buriti (346.72 μg g–1) and Uxi (200.92 μg g–1) contained the highest vitamin E activity. Therefore, the results indicate that these fruits and nuts have great potential to be cultivated and marketed as alternative dietary sources for these bioactive compounds.