-Information on antioxidant properties at different ontological stages may help producers and food technologists to identify which cultivar and/or maturity stage are most adequate for their need, therefore this work aimed to study the changes in the antioxidant metabolism during acerola development. Fruit from cv. Flor Branca, BRS366 and Florida Sweet were harvested at different stages: immature green colored (I), physiologically mature with green color and maximum size (II), breaker (III) and full red ripe (IV). After harvest, fruits were selected, divided into four replications with 500 g each and evaluated regarding their titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids, total soluble sugar, vitamin C, polyphenol, anthocyanin, yellow flavonoid, total antioxidant activity and antioxidant enzyme activity. Anthocyanin and flavonoid were determined through LC-DAD-ESI/MS and all analysis followed a completely randomized factorial 3 x 4 design. Fruits of 'Florida Sweet' presented significantly higher soluble solids (9.46°Brix). Vitamin C content decreased during ripening, but ripe 'BRS 366' fruits showed the greatest values (1363 mg.100 g -1 ) and highest TAA with 42.36 µM TEAC.g -1 FW. Cyanidin 3-rhamnoside (520.76 mg.100 g -1 DM) and quercetin 3-rhamnoside (33.72 mg.100 g -1 DM) were the most abundant anthocyanin and yellow flavonoids found mainly in 'Flor Branca' fruit of acerola, whose antioxidant enzymes activities were also higher. Ripe 'Florida Sweet' fruit presents a great potential for fresh consumption, meanwhile physiologically mature 'BRS 366' fruit seems the best option for the bioactive compounds processing industry. As 'Flor Branca' fruit of acerola kept the highest activity levels, it could be an indicative of greater potential for postharvest conservation. Index Terms: Malpighia emarginata, development, vitamin C, enzymes, polyphenols. COMPOSTOS ANTIOXIDANTES E ATIVIDADE ANTIOXIDANTE TOTAL EM FRUTOS DAS VARIEDADES FLOR BRANCA, FLORIDA SwEET E BRS 366 DE ACEROLEIRARESUMO -Informações sobre propriedades antioxidantes em diferentes estádios ontológicos podem ajudar os produtores e tecnólogos de alimentos a identificar quais cultivares e/ou estádio de maturidade são os mais adequados para a sua necessidade; portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as alterações no metabolismo antioxidante durante o desenvolvimento de frutos da aceroleira. Frutos das cv. FlorBranca, BRS 366 e Florida Sweet foram colhidos em diferentes estádios: imaturos com cor verde (I), fisiologicamente maduros com cor verde e tamanho máximo (II), com cor predominantemente vermelha (III) e totalmente vermelha, maduro (IV). Após a colheita, os frutos foram selecionados, divididos em quatro repetições com 500 g cada e avaliados quanto à acidez titulável, pH, sólidos solúveis, açúcares solúveis totais, vitamina C, polifenóis, antocianinas, flavonoides amarelo, atividade antioxidante total e atividade de enzimas antioxidantes. Antocianina e flavonoides foram determinados por meio LC-DAD-ESI/MS, e todas as análises seguiram um deline...

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