Large segments of the Brazilian population still suffer from malnutrition and diet-related illnesses. In contrast, many native fruits have biodiversity and are underexploited sources of bioactive compounds and unknown to consumers. The phytochemical composition of nine underexplored Brazilian fruits was determined. Carotenoids and anthocyanins were identified and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-PDA-MS/MS), and phenolic compounds and iridoids were identified by flow injection analysis-electrospray-ion trap-tandem mass spectrometry (FIA-ESI-IT-MS/MS); in total, 84 compounds were identified. In addition, the chemical structure and pathway mass fragmentation of new iridoids from jenipapo (Genipa americana) and jatoba (Hymenae coubaril) are proposed. The highest level of carotenoids was registered in pequi (Caryocar brasiliense; 10156.21 μg/100 g edible fraction), while the major total phenolic content was found in cambuci (Campomanesia coubaril; 221.70 mg GAE/100 g). Anthocyanins were quantified in jabuticaba (Plinia cauliflora; 45.5 mg/100 g) and pitanga (Eugenia uniflora; 81.0 mg/100 g). Our study illustrates the chemical biodiversity of underexplored fruits from Brazil, supporting the identification of new compounds and encouraging the study of more food matrixes not yet investigated.

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Considering that cooking techniques can improve the sensory attributes of many foods, they also change their chemical composition, directly influencing the nutritional benefits. Pereskia aculeata (ora-pro-nobis) is a wild underexploited edible plant native to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Their leaves are widely incorporated in traditional dishes, such as pasta and flours, sauces, and salads. Thus, we studied the effects of different home cooking techniques (stir-frying, microwaving, and steaming) on the phytochemical composition, namely phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and vitamins. Also, the antioxidant activity and bioaccessibility of carotenoids were evaluated. The results showed that the microwaving technique leads to higher levels of extracted carotenoids and vitamins, besides higher antioxidant activity. The phenolic profiles of all samples were similar, but the steaming technique promoted higher phenolic content but the lowest carotenoids bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity. Meanwhile, stir-frying, despite promoting the lowest concentration of the extracted carotenoids, provides the best bioaccessibility. From a nutritional point of view, it is recommended that cooking techniques are alternated from day to day, and less frequently use the stir-frying method. Additionally, these results are essential for the improvement of dietary intake recommendations for bioactive compounds.