Introduction. The jabuticaba tree (Myrciariajabuticaba) belongs to the Myrtaceae family and produces a small fruit, nativeto central, southern and southeastern Brazil. Materials and methods. Fruitsof 25 progenies of the jabuticaba tree, grown in a tropical highland climate, wereevaluated as to physical, physicochemical and chemical characteristics: weight,longitudinal and transverse diameters, pulp and peel yields, seed mass, number of seedsper fruit, pulp and peel moisture, soluble solids, titratable acidity, [solublesolids/titratable acidity] ratio, pH, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. The experimentaldesign was completely randomized, the treatments being the 25 jabuticaba tree progenies.Results. A significant effect among progenies was observed for allcharacteristics evaluated. The chemical composition showed that the jabuticaba peel has ahigh phenolic compound content, and considerable flavonoid content. These results indicatethat there is variability for the characteristics analyzed, enabling the economicexploitation of jabuticaba tree fruits for in natura consumption andprocessing. Conclusions. The physical and chemical characteristics combinedcan be proposed as excellent tools to select superior progenies. The fruits of fiveprogenies showed desirable characteristics for the in natura market,while fruits of five other progenies hold high concentrations of natural antioxidants andmay be listed as excellent options for the food industry.

Introduction. Many underutilized wild fruits have great nutritional andfunctional potential, providing chemical compounds with biological properties.Materials and methods. In the present work we quantified bioactivecompounds such as vitamin C (ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids), and total phenoliccompounds composed mainly of phenolic acids, flavonols and anthocyanins, as well asevaluating the antioxidant capacity through different in vitro tests(Folin-Ciocalteu, ABTS·+, DPPH· and FRAP) in wild blackthorn (P. spinosaL.) and hawthorn (C. monogyna Jacq.) fruits of Spanish origin, includingsamples from different seasons and locations. Results and discussion. Asexpected, wide variability was found in the composition of fruits of the same species,which justifies the necessity of analyzing several batches of wild fruits, in order tohave representative results taking into account the natural variability. Fruits ofP. spinosa showed vitamin C content ranging between (5.14 and15.35) mg·100 g–1 fw (mainly dehydroascorbic acid); total phenolic compounds ranged from(1851 to 3825) mg·100 g–1 fw, characterized by a high content of anthocyanins and phenolicacids. Fruits of C. monogyna presented (16 to 39) mg vitamin C·100 g–1 fwand (449 to 1438) mg total phenolic compounds·100 g–1 fw, characterized by a high contentof phenolic acids and flavonols. Antioxidant capacity was higher forP. spinosa fruits than for C. monogyna fruits; DPPH·values showed a strong correlation with vitamin C, while phenolic compounds were a majorcontributor to the antioxidant activity of these fruit extracts. Fruits ofP. spinosa and C. monogyna should be reconsidered asnew valuable sources of safe and inexpensive antioxidants.

Introduction.Saskatoon berry (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.) isa promising fruit species originating from North America. Amongpomaceous fruits, saskatoon berries are a valuable source of chemicalcompounds with an antioxidant effect. Materials and methods.The total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and their correlationassociated with the total antioxidant capacity of fruit of fiveparticular cultivars were ascertained. Reactive oxygen species (specificallynitric oxide, superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical) and antioxidantactivity in the liver lipid system of their methanolic extractswere also assessed. Results and discusssion. In saskatoonberry cultivars the total contents of phenolic compounds rangedfrom (2.52 to 3.82) g gallic acid Eq·kg–1 of fresh mass, while thevalues of total antioxidant capacity were observed to be from (4.17to 5.29) g of ascorbic acid Eq·kg–1 of fresh mass. High correlationcoefficients between phenolics as well as flavonoids and antioxidant capacitywere calculated (r2 = 0.8921 and r2= 0.9901, respectively). Nitric oxide, superoxide anion, hydroxylradical and antioxidant activity in the liver lipid system of saskatoonberry fruit methanolic extracts (10%) were provided for the firsttime. In the case of nitric oxide, the inhibitions were 21.08–27.52%;as regards superoxide anion, they were 25.14–30.73%; concerning hydroxylradical, 18.25–21.18%, and in respect of antioxidant activity inthe liver lipid system, 7.90–8.38%. These inhibitions are strongerthan, e.g., in apples which are the most importantspecies of pomaceous fruit worldwide. Conclusions.Saskatoon berry fruit could be a suitable supplement for modern humannutrition. Furthermore, our work contributes to the popularisationof this pomaceous species, with the focus on its potential in relationto high antioxidant strength.

Introduction. Cashew appleis a rich source of sugars, vitamin C and polyphenols. In spiteof its nutritional value, this pseudo-fruit has been left unexploitedto a large extent in the crop-growing areas. Some reports of thechemical characteristics of cashew apple have been published. However,nothing is known about the changes in the composition of its bioactive compoundsin the course of ripening. Materials and methods. Cashewapples at three different maturity stages were examined with respectto their ascorbic acid content, phenolic compounds and antioxidantcapacity. Ascorbic acid was quantified by HPLC. Phenolic compoundswere identified and quantified by using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS by comparisonwith authentic standard compounds. The antioxidant capacity wasmeasured by TOSC assay against peroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite. Results. Amounts of identified phenolic compounds werethe highest in unripe cashew apple and decreased in the course ofripening. Myricetin 3-O-rhamnoside, quercetin 3-O-galactoside and quercetin3-O-rhamnoside turned out to be the main flavonoids in all maturitystages. The antioxidant capacity and the concentration of ascorbicacid increased in the course of ripening. The antioxidant activitywas considerably influenced by ascorbic acid, more than by the content ofphenolic compounds. Conclusion. This study provides, forthe first time, information on changes in bioactive compounds andthe antioxidant capacity in cashew apple during ripening. A dietaryor technological exploitation of ascorbic acid is useful in theripe condition. The unripe pseudo-fruits are a good source for the extractionof polyphenols with regard to possible food technological purposesor the preparation of food supplements.