Brazilian biodiversity fruits: discovering bioactive compounds from underexplored sources.

Large segments of the Brazilian population still suffer of malnutrition and diet-related illnesses. In contrast, many fruits provided of native biodiversity is an underexploited source 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 HPLC-PDA-MS/MS; and phenolic compounds and iridoids were identified by FIA-ESI-IT-MS/MS, totaling the identification of 84 compounds. 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) (10,156.21μg/100g edible fraction), while the major total phenolic content was found in Cambuci (Campomanesia coubaril), 221.70mg GAE/100g. Anthocyanins were quantified in jabuticaba (Plinia cauliflora) 45.5mg/100 g and pitanga (Eugenia uniflora) 81.0mg/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 matrices not yet investigated.