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En todo el mundo se observa un aumento destacado en el consumo de frutos tropicales. El cultivo de la fruticultura ocupa en Brazil un área de dos millones de hectáreas y genera un PIB de 1,5 billones de dólares. Existen más de 30 puntos de producción, distribuidos en la geografía de norte a sur. La balanza comercial de frutas frescas en Brazil, cerró el año 2003 con un superávit de 267 millones de dólares, un 39% superior al del año anterior. En el

The antioxidant activity of anthocyanins in food is well known. Numerous antioxidant assays have been proposed to measure the capacity of anthocyanins to prevent the oxidation process that naturally occurs. Different solvents, temperatures, and pH levels are applied in each assay, and these factors should be taken into account in order to obtain useful and reproducible results. The concentration and the structure of these compounds are directly related to their antioxidant capacity and their environment. However, the effectiveness of the anthocyanin ingestion against diseases is also influenced by its bioavailability. Novel methodologies that simulate the digestion process have been developed in order to facilitate the current knowledge of anthocyanins bioavailability. Studies highlight the potential synergy effect between parent compounds and their derivatives (metabolites, conjugated products, and microbe-generated metabolites). The aim of this review is to provide an overview of advantages and disadvantages of the most common methods to determine the antioxidant activity of anthocyanins, chemical structure, and concentration of these compounds in different edible fruits, vegetables, and plants; their bioavailability after intake; as well as the main therapeutic effect described in the scientific literature.

RESUMO Os sucos de frutas tropicais conquistam cada vez mais o mercado consumidor, sendo o Brasil um dos principais produtores. Existe grande diversidade de produtos derivados de frutos e constante inserção de novos produtos no mercado de consumo, os quais, na maioria das vezes, ainda não foram devidamente pesquisados com respeito às suas propriedades de amora, uva, açaí, goiaba, morango, acerola, abacaxi, manga, graviola, cupuaçu

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