Fisiologia da maturação, qualidade, propriedades funcionais, perfis de voláteis e minerais de frutos de cajaraneira do sertão (spondias sp.) durante a maturação

• Ano de defesa: 2021
• Autor(a) principal: Lima, Lucélia Kátia de
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal da Paraíba; Brasil; Química e Física; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agronomia; UFPB
• Palavras-chave em Português: carotenoides; flavonoides amarelos; esteres; terpenos; minerais; CNPQ::CIENCIAS AGRARIAS
• Link de acesso: https://repositorio.ufpb.br/jspui/handle/123456789/29670

“Cajaraneira do Sertão” (Spondias sp.), present in the Caatinga biome, is is found in the Brazilian Northeast, mainly in Ceará, Paraíba, and Rio Grande do Norte states and produces fruits that are attractive due to their strong orange color and exotic flavor. Therefore, in-depth studies on the maturation physiology, functional properties, and volatile profile of the fruit in its portions are important to define its nutritional and functional potential, allowing to value an underexploited species that still does not have commercial cultivation. Thus, this research was carried out in two experiments: I - The objective was to characterize fruit maturation physiology and quality, determining ethylene production, respiratory rate and physical attributes. The physicochemical attributes, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant and enzymatic activities were also determined in the peel and pulp; II - Define the minerals and volatile compounds profiles in the peel and pulp of fruits at five maturity stages. Fruits were harvested from 28 plants propagated by spearing from orchards located in the municipality of Tarrafas, Ceará, Brazil. The experimental design was the completely randomized and four replications were used. In the laboratory, fruits evaluated in the experiments were classified into five mturity stages according to the peel color. The physical attributes were evaluated in 30 intact fruits, for each stage of maturation, in four replications. To determine the respiratory rate and ethylene production, approximately 250 g were used for each maturity stage, evaluated at room conditions (24 ± 2 ºC and 74 ± 2% RH). Physicochemical evaluations, bioactive compounds, antioxidant and enzymatic activities, mineral and volatile compounds profiles were performed in the peel and pulp. The main results were: Experiment I – Cajaraneira do Sertão fruits showed a typical climacteric respiratory pattern. An increase in diameter and fresh mass was observed with advancing fruit maturation. The fruits showed high levels of carotenoids, antioxidant and enzymatic activity, which increased more in the peel than pulp during maturation. Experiment II – Twenty-two minerals were quantified, with K, Ca, P, Mg, and Fe present in higher levels. A total of 45 volatile compounds was identified in the peel and 53 in the pulp. In the volatile profile, the terpenes were the highest number of compounds, followed by esters, aldehydes, and alcohols. The major volatile s identified were α-Copaene, Allo-Ocimene, β-Caryophyllene, trans-β-Ocimenes, Limonene, (Z)-Ocimene, Ethyl butanoate, Butyl acetate, Ethyl hexanoate. In general, during maturation, the ester content increased both in the peel and pulp; while most aldehydes and terpenes decreased. Fruits showed maximum quality in the last two stages, yellowish orange and totally orange. The peel showed higher levels for most of the parameters evaluated, excepted by carotenoids, which were higher in the pulp. They are also sources of other bioactive compounds such as yellow flavanoids and volatile, presenting high antioxidant activity, indicating that their consumption is beneficial to health. In addition, are good sources of minerals important for nutrition. Cajaranan do Sertão, therefore, is a fruit with ample potential, which should be valued for its differential aspects of quality and functional properties.