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.