Biochemical Changes of Cubiu Fruits (<i>Solanum sessiliflorum</i> Dunal, Solanaceae) According to Different Tissue Portions and Ripening Stages

Abstract

Cubiu fruits (Solanum sessiliflorum Dunal, Solanaceae) are known for their high nutritional value and low caloric content. This work aimed at evaluating biochemical indices of cubiu fruits according to different tissues (peel, pulp and placenta) and ripening stages (green, turning, ripe and fully ripe). The fruits were randomly harvested to investigate sensory aspects (colorimetry, blanching effect, pigments) and biochemical indices (moisture and dry matter, Total Soluble Solids (TSS), pH, Titratable Acidity (TA), TSS/TA ratio, ascorbic acid, Alcohol-Insoluble Solids (AIS), pectinesterase activity and pectin content). The analyses were performed at the laboratory of Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Manaus, Brazil. The blanching process preserved pulp colors at all ripening stages. Chlorophylls were higher in green peels; flavonoids and carotenoids, in fully ripe peels. Anthocyanins were entirely absent. Pulp (turning fruits) showed the highest moisture content (91.05), followed by ripe pulp (90.70) and fully ripe pulp (90.62). Pulp TSS changed little whereas placenta TSS declined and were associated with increased TA and pH reduction (fully ripe fruits). Pulp pH and TA varied little whereas placenta pH was notably low and TA was remarkably high (fully ripe fruits). Pulp TSS/TA ratio showed predominance of TSS while in placenta, there was predominance of organic acids. AIS, precursors of pectin, were stable during ripening. The statistical analysis of dietary fiber content showed one modal value in the AIS. In pulp, pectinesterase activity correlated inversely with pectin content. Cubiu fruits were significant sources of bioactive compounds, e.g. chlorophylls, flavonoids and carotenoids, predominantly in the peel and the pulp; soluble functional fibers, e.g. pectin (g/100 g fresh 1192weight), particularly in the green peel (1.00) and the fully ripe pulp (1.12), and other versatile molecules, e.g. ascorbic acid (mg/100 g fresh weight), especially in the fully ripe peel (32.45) and placenta (24.84) and the turning placenta (21.27). Cubiu fruits are rich in ascorbic acid and should be included in the human diet.

Physicochemical properties, metabolomic analysis, antioxidant and lipid-lowering activity of a functional beverage based on cocona (Solanum sessiliflorum Dunal)

“…The protein content in CFB was higher than that reported by Quispe-Herrera et al (2022), for nectar of cocona enriched with quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), but lower in vitamin C content (11.6 mg/100 g). The titratable acidity value of CFB was 1.18%, an expected value because low values have also been reported for Solanum sessiliflorum pulp (Andrade et al, 2016), which gives us a drink with a characteristic acid flavor of the fruit. The value of reducing sugars of CFB was lower than that reported for the fresh pulp (2.28%) and reconstituted freezedried pulp (1.46%) of cocona, and this variance may be due to the heat treatment received by the fruit for the preparation of the beverage (Natividad-Marín & Cáceres-Paredes, 2013).…”