A Comprehensive Evaluation of Chemical, Bioactive Profile, and Antioxidant Potential of Gabiroba (Campomanesia Cambessedeana): An Underexplored Fruit from Brazil

Abstract

Background: The Cerrado region has one of the world's largest and most diverse tropical biodiversity, hosting several species of exotic fruits little explored. In this context, we can highlight the gabiroba (Campomanesia cambessedeana), a native fruit tree belonging to the Myrtaceae family. However, its fruits are not used frequently, except by the local population who consume them, and are also reported as nutritional. Objective: This work evaluated the chemical composition of the whole fruit, pulp, peel, and seed of gabiroba. Methods: Physicochemical characterization, bioactive compounds and antioxidant potential, and mineral profile (ICP-OES) were evaluated. Individual phenolic compounds and organic acids by liquid chromatography ( HPLC-DAD) of the pulp, peel, and seed fractions of gabiroba were also explored. Results: The results showed that the gabiroba fruit has a low lipid content (1.09 g 100 g−1), high magnesium content (12.60 μg g−1), and significant values of total phenolics (153.17 mg EAG 100 g−1), vitamin C (51.20 mg AA 100 g−1) and antioxidant potential by DPPH radical scavenging (15.35 g sample g−1 DPPH). The analysis of organic acids showed that the pulp and peel are rich in malic acid (7.29 and 8.15 mg 100 g−1, respectively) and the seed in citric acid (10.26 mg 100 g−1). On the other hand, both pulp, peel, and seed fractions showed similar individual phenolic composition, mainly being composed of catechin (3.36, 2.71, and 2.70 mg 100 g−1), gallic acid (1.67, 1.66, and 1.68 mg 100 g−1) and rutin (0.85, 1.39 and 1.16 mg 100 g−1, respectively). Conclusion: The individual phenolics in the gabiroba fractions may have been responsible for the high antioxidant activity. In this way, gabiroba has demonstrated its technological potential for its full use in producing food products and applications in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry.