Title:Tarumã-do-Cerrado (Vitex cymosa Bertero ex Spreng) for Food Diversity and Nutraceutical Products
Volume: 3
Issue: 1
Author(s): Cíntia Reis Ballard*, Philipe dos Santos, Elisvânia Freitas dos Santos, Valter Aragão do Nascimento, Renato Grimaldi, Cinthia Baú Betim Cazarin, Julian Martínez and Mário Roberto Maróstica
Affiliation:
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Food Engineering, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP,
Campinas, SP, Brazil
Keywords:
Bioactive compounds, fiber, fruit, linolenic acid, mineral, oilseed, oleic acid, phenolic compounds.
Abstract:
Background: Tarumã-do-Cerrado (Vitex cymosa Bertero ex Spreng, TC) is a littleexplored
Brazilian native fruit.
Objective: The sustainable bioprospecting of new fruits is essential to devise strategies for preventing
and treating noncommunicable diseases, like obesity, and even contribute to food diversity
and discovering functional ingredients.
Methods: This study evaluated the proximate composition, minerals, dietary fiber, and their fractions,
phenolic compounds by two types of extraction, and antioxidant activity in the TC edible
part. We also determined its fatty acid profile from the seed’s crude oil.
Results: TC has 100 g low-fat content (0.19 g) containing good phosphorus (91.50 mg) source
and is rich in chromium (0.05 mg) and molybdenum (0.53 mg). It has a high range of dietary fiber
in fresh and freeze-dried fruit (4.01 g and 26.23 g, respectively). The different extraction conditions
showed medium to high content (101.58 to 598.80 μg GAE/100 g) of phenolic compounds.
Antioxidant activity has been demonstrated in vitro using electron or hydrogen/proton transfer
mechanisms. The crude oilseed is a source of oleic (35.91%) and linoleic acid (32.20%).
Conclusion: TC provides essential nutrients, fibers, and bioactive compounds to be allied to sustainable
health strategies for food diversity and nutraceutical product development.
