TITLE:
Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of Psidium guajava Fresh Fruits and Flour
AUTHORS:
M. Alejandra Moreno, I. Catiana Zampini, Milena Costamagna, Jorge E. Sayago, Roxana M. Ordoñez, María I. Isla
KEYWORDS:
Fresh Fruit; Flour; Psidium guajava; Nutritional Properties; Functional Properties
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.5 No.8,
March
26,
2014
ABSTRACT: Psidium guajava fruits are consumed fresh
or processed (beverages, syrup, ice cream, jams and jellies). Guayaba is a
fruit highly perishable and susceptible to damage during the postharvest. One strategy to overcome this problem is its
processing by using techniques that preserve its organoleptic, nutritive
and functional properties and allow getting food with added value. The purpose
of this study was to obtain flour from fresh fruits cultivated in Argentina
Northwestern by lyophilization and to determine the antioxidant activity and
the main phytochemicals present in fresh fruits and flour. Nutritional
composition (sugar, protein and fat) and the bioactive phytochemicals (total
phenolic compounds, flavonoid phenolic, condensed and hydrolizable tannin, ascorbic
acid, pigments such as anthocyanin and carotenoids) as well as fiber content,
were evaluated. The flour preserved flavor, aroma and color of pulp from fresh
fruits. The flour contained around 30% of sugar, 20% of total protein, 0.5% of
fat and high level of crude fiber. Carotenoids and ascorbic acid were the
dominant phytochemicals in flour as well as in fresh fruits. The guayaba flour
showed antioxidant activity with SC50 values similar to fresh
fruits. The flour showed nutraceutical characteristics that are demanded by
functional food and could be used as a dietary supplement.