Phytometal Availability, Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity and Total Phenolic Compounds of Genipa americana L. (Rubiaceae) Fruits

Abstract

The present work studied the fruits of genipap (Genipa americana L.) occurring in the city of Boa Vista, Roraima, State, Brazil. The content of the following minerals being evaluated: B, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Zn and their antioxidant activity on pulp, peel, seeds and oil extracted from the seeds. The levels of the minerals present in the different parts of the fruit were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS), flame atomic emission spectrometry (FAES) and UV-visible spectroscopy (UV/VIS). The mineral with the highest content was the potassium found in the peel (1,248.48±4.59 mg 100 g-1). The studies showed that the phenolic compounds are closely related to the antioxidant activity, in this study the peel presented the highest phenolic compounds content 712.21±11.04 mg GAE 100 g-1 and the pulp showed the highest capacity of Capture of the DPPH free radical of 661.34±17.12 EC50 mg mL-1, thus the genipap is a fruit with a potential food of the Roraima region.