Nutritional and bioactive potential of Myrtaceae fruits during ripening

- Jabuticaba, guabiju and jambolan fruits prove to be a rich source of antioxidant compounds.
- 22 Phenolic compounds were quantified by LC-MS/MS in both ripening stages.
- Total anthocyanin, fructose, glucose, Ca, and Na showed higher values in the ripe stage.

This study aimed to characterize jabuticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora), guabiju (Myrcianthes pungens), and jambolan (Syzygium cumini) in relation to its individual phenolic compounds (LC-ESI-MS/MS), antioxidant capacity, total monomeric anthocyanin, sugars, and minerals during ripening (intermediate and ripe stages). In the three studied fruits, 22 phenolic compounds were quantified, especially phenolic acids and flavonoids, which presented a higher concentration in the intermediate ripening stage. In contrast, the total monomeric anthocyanin, fructose, glucose, Ca, Na values were higher in the ripe stage. In addition, all studied fruits showed expressive antioxidant capacity in both ripening stages: 2569.28 to 5066.35 mg AAE 100 g−1 DW for DPPH; 13777.52 to 26667.45 µmol Fe+2 100 g−1 DW for FRAP; and 957.72 to 2061.35 mg GAE 100 g−1 DW for Folin-Ciocalteu reducing capacity. Therefore, our results revealed that these fruits represent a supply of high-value nutrient and bioactive components, especially in the ripe stage.