Abstract This work aimed to characterize some of the bioactive compounds of Eugenia punicifolia (Kunth) DC. fruit to enhance the knowledge of its functional potential. Ripe fruits were collected from the restinga of Maricá, in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil. Bioactive compounds were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Ascorbic acid (74.14 mg 100-1 g-1), lycopene (504 µg g-1) and total carotenoids (632 µg g-1) contents were superior to other fruits rich in these compounds. In fact, E. punicifolia fruits are an excellent source of carotenoids and can be considered a good source of ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Furthermore, its chemical composition has presented phenolic compounds like gallic acid and anthocyanins. Thus, this underutilized Brazilian fruit stands out as a source of bioactive compounds, presenting a good potential as a functional food, especially due to the high content of lycopene.

Resumo Este trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar alguns dos compostos bioativos do fruto da Eugenia punicifolia (Kunth) DC. para aprofundar o conhecimento do seu potencial funcional. Frutos maduros foram coletados da restinga de Maricá-RJ, Brasil. Os compostos bioativos foram analisados por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência. Os teores de ácido ascórbico (74,14 mg 100-1 g-1), licopeno (504 µg g-1) e carotenoides totais (632 µg g-1) foram superiores aos de outras frutas ricas nesses compostos. Os frutos de E. punicifolia são uma excelente fonte de carotenoides e podem ser considerados uma boa fonte de ácido ascórbico (vitamina C). Além disso, sua composição química apresentou compostos fenólicos, como ácido gálico e antocianinas. Assim, essa fruta brasileira subutilizada se destaca como fonte de compostos bioativos, apresentando um bom potencial como alimento funcional, principalmente devido ao alto teor de licopeno.

This work addresses the use of chiral gas chromatography in resolving optically active stereoisomers and racemates found in fruit flavours. It presents the types of chiral selectors applied to terpene-derived metal coordination compounds, polysiloxane-linked α-amino acid and mixed chiral stationary phases, and focuses on derivatized cyclodextrins, the most popular chiral stationary phases presently used in chromatographic analysis. Knowledge about the techniques involved in chiral recognition and enantiomer identification in the fruit flavour field is given along with examples from the latest studies.

Microcapsules containing lactoferrin were produced by spray drying using dextrin:octenylsuccinate starch, as wall materials. Porosity characteristics of spray-dried microcapsules were investigated by mercury intrusion porosimetry and nitrogen adsorption. The outer and inner structures of microcapsules were studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy and sizes were determined by Laser Diffraction. Results indicate that all microcapsules presents adsorption isotherm of type II and that micropores on the microcapsules surface will be very few or none. Our results show that microstructure, surface area and size of microcapsules are affected by dextrin: octenylsuccinate starch proportion. Pore characteristics for various microcapsules are found to be different.

A literatura científica é pobre a respeito de frutas da Amazônia, como o murici, e suas características químicas devem ser estudadas. Por isso, esta pesquisa teve por proposta determinar o perfil aminoacídico das polpas de bacuri, cupuaçu e murici sob diferentes valores de pH (3,3, 5,8, 8,0 e 12,0), sem aquecimento ou com aquecimento por 12 horas/100 ºC com agitação e refluxo. Valores de pH, glicose, frutose e sacarose também foram determinados nas polpas sem aquecimento. Os nutrientes foram determinados por CLAE (Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Eficiência). As polpas de bacuri, cupuaçu e murici apresentaram valores de pH 3,2, 3,6 e 3,35, respectivamente. A sacarose foi, quantitativamente, o principal carboidrato nas polpas de cupuaçu (38,34%) e bacuri (36,93%), sendo que os teores de frutose e glicose foram similares, tanto na polpa de cupuaçu (8,93% e 9,03%) como na de bacuri (12,63% e 11,65%), respectivamente. Em contraste, a polpa de murici foi quase isenta de sacarose (0,57%), mas não de frutose (11,51%) ou glicose (11,39%). Nas polpas sem aquecimento, os principais aminoácidos foram: ácido glutâmico (46,6 mg/kg), ácido aspártico (28,8 mg/kg) e arginina (25,3 mg/kg) na polpa de bacuri; ácido aspártico (56,3 mg/kg), ácido glutâmico (44,0 mg/kg) e alanina (24,2 mg/kg) na polpa de cupuaçu; prolina (73,5 mg/kg), ácido glutâmico (23,7 mg/kg) e ácido aspártico (23,5 mg/kg) na polpa de murici. O aquecimento reduziu as concentrações de todos os aminoácidos nas 3 polpas. O meio fortemente alcalino (pH 12) produziu a maior degradação de aminoácidos. Lisina foi mais sensível ao aquecimento do que outros aminoácidos em pH 12.

Scientific literature presents few studies about fruits of the Amazonia, like murici, and yours chemical characteristics should be studied. Therefore, amino acid profiles of the bacuri, cupuaçu and murici pulps were determined under different values of pH (3.3, 5.8, 8.0 and 12.0) with heating (12 hours/100 ºC, with stirring and refluxing) or without heating. Glucose, fructose, sucrose and pH values also were obtained in the pulps without heating. All nutrients were analised by HPLC. The pHs were: 3.2, 3.6 and 3.35 in the bacuri, cupuaçu and murici pulps, respectively. Sucrose (38.34% and 36.93%) was the major carbohydrate while fructose (8.93% and 12.63%) and glucose (9.03% and 11.65%) shown similar percentages in the cupuaçu and bacuri pulps. Murici pulp was almost free of sucrose (0.57%), but not of fructose (11.51%) or glucose (11.39%). In the pulps without heating the major amino acids were: glutamic acid (46.6 mg/kg), aspartic acid (28.8 mg/kg) and arginine (25.3 mg/kg) in the bacuri pulp; aspartic acid (56.3 mg/kg), glutamic acid (44.0 mg/kg) and alanine (24.2 mg/kg) in the cupuaçu pulp; proline (73.5 mg/kg), glutamic acid (23.7 mg/kg) and aspartic acid (23.5 mg/kg) in the murici pulp. The heating of the 3 pulps decresead the concentration of all amino acids. The medium strongly alkaline (pH 12) produced more degradation of the amino acids than others pHs. Lysine was more sensible to the heating than others amino acids in pH 12.