Carotenoids in the pulp and peel of bananas from 15 cultivars in two ripening stages

ABSTRACT The current study aims to evaluate the occurrence and concentration of carotenoids in the pulp and peel of 14 banana and one plantain cultivars in two ripening stages. We analyzed the occurrence and content of lutein, α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, and lycopene - by high performance liquid chromatography with UV-visible detection, the content of total carotenoids by spectrophotometry. In the unripe pulp, the ‘Ouro’ cultivar stood out with lutein concentration 13 times higher than that of the ‘Marmelo’. As for α-carotene and β-carotene, ‘Terrinha’ plantain stood out with mean concentration of 1195.30 and 1126.11 μg (100 g MF-1), respectively. Total carotenoids ranged from 159.66 to 2553.51 μg (100 g MF-1) in ‘Caipira’ and ‘Terrinha’, respectively. In the ripe pulp there was 36% increase in the lutein content in comparison to the unripe pulp and there was 7.3 and 8.5% reduction in α-carotene and β-carotene levels, respectively. The total carotenoid concentration in the ripe pulp was 17% higher than that found in the unripe pulp. The unripe peel showed lutein predominance, although ‘Terrinha’ stood out with higher α-carotene and β-carotene concentrations than those found in the other cultivars. Lutein concentration hardly changed due to fruit ripening; however, there was slight reduction in α-carotene and β-carotene concentrations. RESUMO Avaliou-se a ocorrência e aconcentração de carotenoides na polpa e na casca dos frutos de 14 cultivares de bananeira e um de plátano em dois estádios de maturação. Luteína, α-caroteno, β-caroteno, β-criptoxantina e licopeno foram quantificados por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE), carotenoides totais por espectrofotometria. Na polpa verde, a banana ‘Ouro’ destacou-se com concentração de luteína 13 vezes maior que a da ‘Marmelo’. Para α-caroteno e β-caroteno, o plátano ‘Terrinha’ se destacou com concentração média de 1.195,30 e 1.126,11 μg (100 g MF-1), respectivamente. Os carotenoides totais oscilaram de 159,66 a 2.553,51 μg (100 g MF-1), para ‘Caipira’ e ‘Terrinha’, respectivamente. Na polpa madura, houve acréscimo de 36% no teor médio de luteína em relação à polpa verde e redução de 7,3 e 8,5% nos teores médios de α-caroteno e de β-caroteno, respectivamente. A concentração média de carotenoides totais na polpa madura foi 17% superior à da polpa verde. Na casca verde houve predominância da luteína, embora a ‘Terrinha’ tenha se destacado com concentrações de α-caroteno e β-caroteno superior