Uvaia (Eugenia pyriformis Cambess – Myrtaceae): An overview from the origin to recent developments in the food industry – A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Uvaia (Eugenia pyriformis Cambess – Myrtaceae) is an unexplored fruit with a remarkable aroma and a high content of bioactive compounds with biological properties. In this study, a bibliometric analysis of the scientific research of uvaia was conducted over the last 21 years, aiming to elucidate the research trends and perspectives in this field of science. In total, 106 articles, 6 reviews, 2 case reports, and 2 patents were published related to research on uvaia. The most expressive research fields were Agriculture, Plant Sciences, and Food Science Technology. The most used keywords revealed that the main studied topics focused on botanical identification, seed germination, agro-industrial processing, postharvest conservation, volatile compounds, nutritional composition, phytochemicals, and antioxidant capacity. Over the years, uvaia has been applied for the formulation of health food products, such as juices, ice cream, jams, compotes, yogurt, and sherbet. Finally, this overview contributes to decision-making and provides crucial importance for the development of functional food products from uvaia.

Keywords

• Scientometrics
• Brazilian native fruits
• Native fruits
• Food products
• Industrial processing
• Gastronomy