Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of the Main Fruits Consumed in the Western Coastal Region of Ecuador as a Source of Health-Promoting Compounds
Mabel Guevara,
Eduardo Tejera,
María G. Granda-Albuja,
Gabriel Iturralde,
Maribel Chisaguano-Tonato,
Silvana Granda-Albuja,
Tatiana Jaramillo-Vivanco,
Francesca Giampieri,
Maurizio Battino,
José M. Alvarez-Suarez
Affiliations
Mabel Guevara
Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Grupo de Investigación en Biotecnología Aplicada a Biomedicina, Universidad de Las Américas, Av. de los Granados E12-41y Colimes esq., EC170125 Quito, Ecuador
Eduardo Tejera
Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Grupo de Bio-Químioinformática, Universidad de Las Américas, Av. de los Granados E12-41y Colimes esq., EC170125 Quito, Ecuador
María G. Granda-Albuja
Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Grupo de Bio-Químioinformática, Universidad de Las Américas, Av. de los Granados E12-41y Colimes esq., EC170125 Quito, Ecuador
Gabriel Iturralde
Laboratorios de Investigación, Universidad de Las Américas, Av. de los Granados E12-41y Colimes esq., EC170125 Quito, Ecuador
Maribel Chisaguano-Tonato
Nutrición, Escuela de Salud Pública, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Campus Cumbayá, Diego de Robles s/n, 170901 Quito, Ecuador
Silvana Granda-Albuja
Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad de Las Fuerzas Armadas, Túnel Principal Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas-ESPE, 171103 Sangolquí, Ecuador
Nutrition and Food Science Group, Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, CITACA, CACTI, University of Vigo—Vigo Campus, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Maurizio Battino
Nutrition and Food Science Group, Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, CITACA, CACTI, University of Vigo—Vigo Campus, 36310 Vigo, Spain
José M. Alvarez-Suarez
Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Grupo de Investigación en Biotecnología Aplicada a Biomedicina, Universidad de Las Américas, Av. de los Granados E12-41y Colimes esq., EC170125 Quito, Ecuador
We studied 19 different tropical fruits traditionally consumed in the coastal lowlands of Ecuador to determine their chemical composition and antioxidant activity. Carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) had the highest total phenolic, flavonoid, and total antioxidant capacity values, whereas guava fruits (Psidium guajava L.) had the highest vitamin C values. The main organic acids identified were lactic, citric, and acetic acids, and the highest amount of lactic acid was found in soursop fruits (Annona muricata L.), whereas Ecuadorian ivory palm (Phytelephas aequatorialis Spruce) and guava fruits had the highest acetic acid content. Guava also had the highest citric acid content; the highest concentration of oxalic acid was found in carambola. In terms of sugar content, giant granadilla (Passiflora quadrangularis L.) had the highest values of glucose, and red mombin (Spondias mombin L.) had the largest values for fructose and guava for sucrose. Chili pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq) proved to be the main source of carotenoids, lutein, and β-carotene, anthocyanins, and vitamin C. The results here increase our knowledge regarding the composition of the main fruits consumed on the west coast of Ecuador to facilitate recommendations as potential sources of health-promoting compounds.
