‘Melão croá’ (Sicana sphaerica Vell.) and ‘maracujina’ (Sicana odorifera Naud.): chemical composition, carotenoids, vitamins and minerals in native fruits from the Brazilian Atlantic forest

Introduction. In the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, indigenous fruits are part of the eating habits of the population. Among these, ‘melão croá’ (Sicana sphaerica Vell.) and ‘maracujina’ (S. odorifera Naud) are rich in bioactive compounds such as carotenoids and antioxidant vitamins. The physical characteristics, physicochemical and proximate composition, concentration of carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin E and minerals were investigated in both fruits found in Atlantic Forest of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Materials and methods. Titratable acidity was analyzed by volumetric neutralization; soluble solids (SS) by refractometry; pH by potentiometry; moisture and ash by gravimetry after drying in an oven and muffle furnace, respectively; proteins by the micro-Kjeldahl method; lipids by gravimetry using soxhlet; dietary fibers by non-enzymatic gravimetry; carotenoids and vitamin C by HPLC-DAD; vitamin E by HPLC-fluorescence; minerals by ICP-AES. Results and discussion. S. sphaericapresented the highest concentrations of SS (5.80 °Brix), TA (0.51 g of citric acid 100 g-1), pH (6.95), moisture (83.4 g 100 g-1), carbohydrate (13.38 g 100 g-1), vitamin A (123.33 ¯g RAE 100 g-1), vitamin C (4.97 mg 100 g-1), vitamin E (334.66 ¯g 100 g-1), K (28.79 mg 100 g-1), Fe (1.92 mg 100 g-1), and Zn (1.04 mg 100 g-1); while S. odorifera had the highest concentrations of total dietary fibers (1.33 g 100 g-1), lipids (1.00 g 100 g-1), proteins (2.62 g 100 g-1), ash (0.77 g 100 g-1), P (1.26 mg 100 g-1), and Ca (1.74 mg 100 g-1). Conclusion. The analyzed fruit showed a potential source of nutrients that can contribute to reducing food and nutrition insecurity of rural people, especially in the American continent, occurrence region of these fruits. Les fruits natifs de la forêt atlantique brésilienne font partie des habitudes alimentaires de la population. Parmi ceux-ci, melão croa (Sicana sphaerica Vell.) et maracujina (S. odorifera Naud.) sont riches en composés bioactifs tels que les caroténoïdes et les vitamines antioxydantes. Les caractéristiques physiques, physico-chimiques et la composition globale en caroténoïdes, en vitamine C et vitamine E, et en éléments minéraux ont été étudiés dans les deux espèces de fruits collectés dans la forêt atlantique du Minas Gerais, au Brésil. Matériels et méthodes. L’acidité titrable a été analysée par neutralisation volumétrique; les solides solubles (SS) par réfractométrie; le pH par potentiométrie; l’humidité et le taux de cendres par gravimétrie