Caracterização do fruto de ameixa silvestre (Ximenia americana L.)

Abstract

RESUMO -A Caatinga nordestina apresenta diversificada riqueza em espécies vegetais. No entanto, a potencialidade dessas espécies como fonte de nutrientes importantes para dieta humana ainda é muito pouco conhecida. Dentre estas espécies, encontra-se a ameixa silvestre (Ximenia americana L.). O presente trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar os frutos da ameixa silvestre em dois estádios de maturação. Os frutos foram colhidos na Caatinga próxima ao município de Mossoró-RN, em dois estádios de maturação, verde (casca verde) e maduro (casca amarela), sendo 90 frutos para cada estádio. Para a caracterização do fruto, realizaram-se as seguintes análises: massa fresca, comprimentos longitudinal e transversal, rendimento de polpa, vitamina C, sólidos solúveis (SS), acidez titulável (AT), pH e relação SS/AT. Adotou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com dois tratamentos e seis repetições de 15 frutos para cada parcela. O fruto da ameixa silvestre é de formato arredondado, suculento e apresenta uma única semente tipo amêndoa. Considerando a polpa, ocorre mudança de coloração, passando da cor verde para a amarela, à medida que o fruto amadurece. Este fruto é considerado rica fonte de vitamina C que se encontra naturalmente na Caatinga nordestina, assim como um fruto com elevados teores de sólidos solúveis e acidez. Palavras chaves: Ximenia americana L., vitamina C, Caatinga. WILD PLUM FRUIT CHARACTERIZATION (Ximenia americana L.)ABSTRACT -The Brazilian Caatinga vegetation presents a large variety of vegetal species. However, the potentiality of these species as an important source of nutrients for the human diet is still not so known. Among these species, there is the wild plum (Ximenia americana L.). The present work aimed to characterize the fruits of the wild plum in two ripening stages. The fruits were harvested in the Brazilian Caatinga vegetation next to the Mossoró-RN city, in two ripening stages, green (green rind) and ripe (yellow rind), being 90 fruits for each stage. For the fruit characterization, the following analyses were done: fresh mass, longitudinal and transversal lengths, pulp yield, vitamin C, soluble solids (SS), titritable acidity (TA), pH and ratio SS/TA. The completely randomized design was used with two treatments and six replications of 15 fruits for each part. The wild plum fruit has a round shape, succulent and presents only seed of almond type. Considering the pulp, coloration change occurs, changing from green to yellow color, as the fruit becomes ripe. This fruit is considered rich vitamin C source that can naturally be found in the Brazilian northeastern region, as well as a fruit with high contents of soluble solid and acidity.

Bioactive compounds and antioxidant potential fruit of Ximenia americana L.

“…Values of soluble solids upper to this article were observed by (Silva et al, 2008), studying the fruits of X. americana produced in Brazil in two stages of maturation, that observed average values of 22.3-26.5%. However, lower soluble solids values were obtained by Mora, Franco-Mora, López-Sandoval, Pérez-López, and Balbuena-Melgarejo (2009), that studying the characterization of fruit of the same specie produced in Mexico found 10.9-17.0%.…”

Physical-chemical characteristics and antioxidant potential of seed and pulp of Ximenia americana L. from the semiarid region of Brazil

“…However, mature fruit pulp showed higher total vitamin C content of 187.98 mg/100 g, than immature pulp or seed. However, even higher total vitamin C levels (251.21 mg/100 g), were observed in preliminary studies with wild plums developed by our group (Silva et al, 2008). Thereby, wild plum represents a good source of vitamin C as its content is four times greater than recommended for daily intake of children and adults (45 mg).…”

“…These are desirable characteristics for the processing industry as acidity contributes to an enhanced flavor, which promotes a high dilution factor in the formulation of juices leading to a greater yield while low pH dismisses any acidification during processing. Silva et al (2008) also reported a pH value of 2.6 for pulp of mature wild plum and similar results to those here presented (pH 4.1) were found for seeds of "cagaita" (pH 4.3) which were lower than those of seeds from chicken lard (pH 6.5), "araticum" (pH 5.7, Annona crassiflora Martius) and "lobeira" (pH 5.7, Solanum lycocarpum A. St.-Hil.)…”

“…Previous reports show that X. americana are rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C and phenolics, thus representing a good source of such compounds for humans (Rezanka;Sigler, 2007;Silva et al, 2008;Lamien-Meda et al, 2008;Mora et al, 2009). Besides the pulp, fruit may also be explored for their seeds yet, another study shows that wild plums seeds are very tasty and have been used as a food spice, despite their purgative effects (Brasileiro et al, 2008).…”

Aspectos Anatômicos de Plantas do Semiárido

“…Suas folhas são pecioladas, glabras, oblongas, alternas, inteiras e pequenas (Figura 7A) (MAIA, 2004). No período seco, quando a maioria das espécies da Caatinga perde suas folhas, esta planta destaca-se por apresentar-se com as folhas totalmente verdes, o que caracteriza uma planta resistente à seca (SILVA et al, 2008).…”