Phenolic Compounds and Metals in Some Edible Annonaceae Fruits.

The concentrations of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, catechin, chlorogenic acid, epicatechin, gallic acid, p-coumaric acid, quercetin, rutin, ferulic acid, and the major metals in graviola (Annona muricata), atemoya (A. squamosa x A. cherimola), fruta do conde (A. squamosa), biribá (Rollinia mucosa), and the North American pawpaw (Asimina triloba) were determined by UPLC-ESI (-)-MS/MS. It enabled the identification and quantification of phenolic compounds. Catechin was only found in atemoya, at a concentration of 38.6 µg/g-dw. Only 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid was found in the fruit pulps of all five fruits analyzed. Atemoya stands out for not only having catechin but also for having much more epicatechin (239 µg/g-dw) than the other fruits. At the same time, graviola had more p-coumaric acid (62.6 µg/g-dw), and the North American pawpaw had more chlorogenic acid (48.1 µg/g-dw) than the other fruits. Metals were determined by ICP equipped with axially viewed plasma. All five fruit pulps had relatively high levels of potassium, with concentrations ranging from 7640 to 15,000 µg/g-dw, with pawpaw being the lowest and atemoya being the highest. The concentrations of other metals ranged from Ca 547 to 1110, Na 14.3 to 123, P 1210 to 1690, Mg 472 to 980, Mn 1.86 to 5.27, and Zn 5.55 to 7.32 µg/g-dw. All five fruits in the Annonaceae family that were analyzed in this study have several phenolic compounds in them and were good sources of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.

Chlorogenic acids and flavonoid extraction during the preparation of yerba mate based beverages.

This study determined the content of chlorogenic acids (CA) and rutin during successive aqueous extraction of yerba mate for tererê and chimarrão from four yerba mate types (smooth, native, traditional and coarse ground). Aqueous extracts were prepared aiming to simulate homemade procedure by partially (chimarrão) or completely (tererê) immersing the herb into hot (chimarrão) or cold (tererê) water (30 times consecutively). The content of CA and rutin in the aqueous extracts was compared to those in methanolic extracts (exhaustive extraction). Tererê aqueous extracts gave higher amounts of all phenolic compounds (2.5 to 6 times higher than chimarrão). Among chimarrão, course-ground aqueous extracts had on average 15% more PC (phenolic compounds). By comparing the content in aqueous and methanolic extracts, after 30 successive extractions, on average 14% of the total amount of CA in yerba mate leaves and 9% of rutin were transferred to the chimarrão extracts, whereas tererê achieved between 40% and 100% of transference. Thus, this study shows that CA and rutin are continuously extracted during the preparation of aqueous extracts of chimarrão and tererê, favoring a high intake of these antioxidant species by consumers.

Optimization of the Preparation Conditions of Yerba Mate tea Beverage to Maximize Chlorogenic Acids Extraction.

The beverage obtained from the yerba mate tea, besides being the most consumed in Brazil, has high concentrations of chlorogenic acids. In this study, a central composite design was employed to establish the best infusion time, temperature and water volume to maximize the extraction of chlorogenic acids 5-caffeoylquinic (5CQ), 3.4-dicaffeoylquinic (3.4 DQ), 3.5-dicaffeoylquinic (3.5 DQ) and 4.5-dicaffeoylquinic (4.5 DQ), from the leaves and stems of yerba mate tea (beverage ready for consumption). Analyses were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography and the optimum conditions were obtained through the use of the desirability function of Derringer and Suich. The maximum chlorogenic acids content in the beverage was obtained when the infusion was prepared with 2 g of mate tea, in 300 mL of water at 95 °C, under infusion for 16 min. The optimal conditions were applied for the preparation of beverages from 15 commercial samples of yerba mate tea, and it was observed that the sum of the concentration of the four compounds showed variation of up to 79 times between the average of the samples, which can be attributed to climatic conditions of cultivation of the plant and/or of processing.

Neurotoxicity of Dietary Supplements from Annonaceae Species.

Dietary supplements containing plant materials of Annonaceae species (Annona muricata L., A. squamosa L., A. mucosa JACQ., A. squamosa × cherimola Mabb.) were extracted by hot, pressurized ethyl acetate and analyzed for their effect in vitro on Lund human mesencephalic neurons. Cell viability was measured by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and cell death was determined by lactate dehydrogenase levels. Three supplements strongly decreased the cell viability at extract concentrations of 1 µg/mL, of which 1 decreased cell viability at 0.1 µg/µL. Also, strong neuronal toxicities of these supplements were found. Cell death was observed at concentrations of 10 µg/mL. The degree of toxicity was comparable to the ones found in Annonaceous fruit extracts. Two fruit pulps of Annonaceae (A. muricata and A. squamosa) showed a reduction in cell viability at lower concentrations. The fruit pulp extract of A. muricata revealed the strongest neurotoxic effect, with 67% cell death at a concentration of 1 µg/mL. A high reduction in cell viability coupled with pronounced cell death was found at 0.1 µg/mL for an Annonaceous seed extract. These results demonstrate that the intake of dietary supplements containing plant material from Annonaceae may be hazardous to health in terms of neurotoxicity.

Qualidade microbiológica da melancia minimamente processada com diferentes métodos de sanitização / Microbiological quality of minimally processed watermelon with different methods of sanitization

Este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar o efeito da sanitização com cloro antes e após o corte da melancia minimamente processada e da irradiação na sua qualidade microbiológica. Após a colheita os frutos foram transportados para o Laboratório de Frutas e Hortaliças da FCA/UNESP, onde foram limpos, selecionados e classificados de acordo com a sua maturação e sanidade.(...) Ao final do período de armazenamento verificou-se que os produtos vegetais sanitizados antes do corte, o tratamento com a dose de 500ppm apresentaram a menor contagem microbiana, porém os produtos com as doses de 300 e 400ppm se conservaram por 8,0 e 8,3 dias respectivamente. Para os produtos vegetais sanitizados após o corte, verificou-se que os do tratamento com 200ppm, apresentaram a menor carga microbiana, o tratamento com a dose de 50ppm os produtos vegetais se conservaram por 8,8 dias. Os produtos vegetais irradiados com as doses de 0,4 e 0,5 kGy apresentaram a menor contaminação microbiana e se conservaram por 9,7 e 8,5 dias respectivamente. Logo, pode-se concluir que a irradiação na dose de 0,4 kGy foi o tratamento mais indicado para a melancia minimamente processada.

Qualidade do melão 'Orange Flesh' minimamente processadoarmazenado sob atmosfera modificada / Quality of the fresh cut 'Orange Flesh' melon stored under modified atmosphere

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito da atmosfera modificada na qualidade do melão‘OrangeFlesh’minimamente processado. Os cubos de melões foram sanificados com 100 mg L-1 de hipoclorito desódio por um minuto, lavados, drenados e embalados com diferentes concentrações de O2 e CO2 emsacos plásticos de polietileno (Nylon Poli). Foram avaliados a cada dois dias durante dez dias quanto afirmeza, pectina total, pectina solúvel e atividade da polifenoloxidase e peroxidase. Ao final do períodode conservação, os produtos vegetais com modificação da atmosfera mantiveram a textura mais firme ea concentração de 5%O2 + 3% CO2 apresentaram menor teor de pectina total e juntamente com aconcentração de 100% N2 o menor teor de pectina solúvel e não apresentaram atividades depolifenoloxidase e peroxidase.

This work aimed at evaluate the effect of the fresh cut ‘Orange Flesh’ melon stored under modified atmosphere. The cubes of melons were sanitizationed with 100 mg L-1 of hypoclorite of sodium for one minute, washed, drained and wrapped with different concentrations of O2 and CO2 in plastic bags of polyethylene (Nylon Polished). They were appraised every other day for ten days as regards the firmness, total pectin, soluble pectin and activity of the polifenoloxidase and peroxidase. At the end of the conservation period, it was verified that melons sustained the firmest texture of the vegetable products under modified atmosphere, and the concentration of 5%O2 + 3% CO2 showed smaller content of total pectin and together with the concentration of 100% N2 the smallest content of soluble pectin, the polifenoloxidase activity was not verified as well as of the peroxidase.