Food Chemistry 177 (2015) 313319

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Food Chemistry
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchem

Bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of buriti

(Mauritia exuosa L.f.) from the Cerrado and Amazon biomes
T.L.N. Cndido a, M.R. Silva b,, T.S. Agostini-Costa c
a
Universidade Federal de Gois UFG (Federal University of Gois), Faculdade de Nutrio (Faculty of Nutrition), Goinia, GO, Brazil
b
Universidade Federal de Gois UFG (Federal University of Gois), Faculdade de Nutrio (Faculty of Nutrition), Goinia, GO, Brazil
c
Embrapa Recursos Genticos e Biotecnologia (Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology), Braslia, DF, Brazil

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Pulp of buriti palms (Mauritia exuosa L.f.) from two Brazilian regions had their phenolic and carotenoid
Received 24 April 2013 contents and antioxidant capacity evaluated through different methods (ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and ORAC).
Received in revised form 7 October 2013 Buriti pulp from the Cerrado presented higher phenolic levels (435.08 mg AGE 100 g1) and elevated
Accepted 3 January 2015
antioxidant capacity in all tests. The fruits from the Amazon region had a higher total carotenoid content
Available online 13 January 2015
(52.86 mg 100 g1). Carotenoid prole has conrmed b-carotene predominance in both regions studied.
The buritis region of origin inuenced bioactive compound contents and antioxidant capacity of the
Keywords:
fruits analyzed. A signicant positive correlation (r 6 0.95; p < 0.05) was observed between total pheno-
Mauritia exuosa L.f.
Buriti
lics and antioxidant capacity through the different methods applied. Results showed promising prospects
Bioactive compounds for the future exploitation of buriti fruits as a potential source of carotenoids and natural antioxidants.
Antioxidant activity Published by Elsevier Ltd.

1. Introduction
Imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant compounds may
cause oxidative stress of biomolecules, if the organisms antioxi-
dant defense mechanisms are not adequate. Oxidative stress has
been associated with aging and the development of chronic,
inammatory and degenerative diseases (Gawlik-Dziki, 2012).
Substances present in foods can act on reactive species or stim-
ulate endogenous defense systems. This protective effect has been
attributed to the presence of compounds with antioxidant activity,
such as vitamins, minerals, phenolic compounds and carotenoids
(Almeida et al., 2011). The frequent consumption of fruits and veg-
etables has been associated with a lower risk of developing dis-
eases, such as stroke, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, Parkinsons,
Alzheimers and cancer (Crowe et al., 2011).
Brazil presents a great diversity of native fruits, with peculiar
sensory characteristics and high nutritional and economic poten-
tial. The consumption of unconventional tropical fruits has been
growing on the national and international markets due to the
information on their nutritional value and relationship to health
(Runo et al., 2010). These fruits have been researched as potential
bioactive sources and many of them have shown high antioxidant
capacity and elevated phenolic levels (Almeida et al., 2011;
Corresponding author. Tel.: +55 62 32096270/210; fax: +55 62 32096273.
E-mail addresses: thalitalin@gmail.com (T.L.N. Cndido), marareis@ufg.br
(M.R. Silva), tania.costa@embrapa.br (T.S. Agostini-Costa).
Genovese, Pinto, Gonalves, & Lajolo, 2008; Gonalves, Lajolo, &
Genovese, 2010).
Buriti palm (Mauritia exuosa L.f.) is a palm tree found in the
Amazon and Cerrado biomes, located in some Brazilian regions,
and it produces a fruit with a color ranging from yellow to dark red-
dish brown. This fruit, the buriti, contains a pulp with a peculiar a-
vor and aroma, which is usually consumed in the regions where it
grows, in the form of sweets, jams, ice creams, compotes and wines
(Lorenzi, Souza, Costa, Cerqueira, & Ferreira, 2004). Buriti is noted
for its elevated content of provitamin A carotenoids (3531 lg
RAE/100 g), notably b-carotene (Rosso & Mercadante, 2007).
However, studies on the antioxidant capacity and bioactive
compounds of buriti are still scarce, especially considering fruits
that are cultivated in different Brazilian regions, with different cli-
matic characteristics and varied geographic conditions. Therefore,
the objective of this study was to evaluate the differences between
total phenolics, total carotenoids and the in vitro antioxidant
capacity (ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and ORAC methods) of buriti pulp orig-
inating from the Brazilian Cerrado and Amazon biomes.
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Buriti pulp sample and extraction
Buriti fruits were collected in two Brazilian regions: in a densely
vegetated forest area with equatorial climate (hot and humid),

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.01.041
0308-8146/Published by Elsevier Ltd.
314 T.L.N. Cndido et al. / Food Chemistry 177 (2015) 313319
Table 1
Regions of origin and geographic data of buriti fruit collection locations in 2011,
Brazil.
Biomes
Amazon
Region of origin Par
Latitude (S) 06 19 5980
Longitude (O) 48 28 6680
Altitude (m) 127
Temperature (C) (minimummaximum) 23.133 19.830
Precipitation (mm) 245.4
Insolation (h) 168.0
Month of collection December
Source: National Institute of Meteorology (INMET, 2012).
typical of the Amazon biome, in the state of Par; and in a subhu-
mid tropical savannah area, typical of the Cerrado biome, in the
state of Gois. Climatic and geographic data for the studied regions
were supplied by the National Institute of Meteorology, Instituto
Nacional de Meteorologia do Brasil (INMET) (Table 1).
Ninety to one hundred and twenty kilograms of fruits were col-
lected in each region. The collection location and the fruit process-
ing were standardized for both regions. The fruits were pulped
manually and the pulp samples were stored in polyethylene pack-
ages and kept at 18 C, for carotenoid analysis. Hereafter, the fro-
zen samples were lyophilized, vacuum-sealed, kept under
refrigeration and protected from light until the remaining chemical
analyses were carried out (Fig. 1).
2.2. Chemical reagents
The reagents utilized were: acetone, hexane, ethanol, methanol,
acetic acid, petroleum ether, hydrochloric acid, BHT (butylated
hydroxytoluene), FolinCiocalteu reagent, gallic acid, DPPH (2,2-
Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), trolox (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetrame-
thylchroman-2-carboxylic acid), acetate buffer, ferric chloride
hexahydrate, ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, TPTZ (2,4,6-tripyridyl-
s-triazine), ABTS [2,20 -azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic
acid], potassium persulfate, phosphate buffer, uorescein, AAPH
(2,20 -Azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride), b-cyclodextrin.
Triethylaminepurum, petroleum ether boiling range 4060 C and
ethyl acetate LCMS were obtained from Riedel de Haen, Seelze,
Germany; methanol chromasolv for HPLC from SigmaAldrich,
Steinheim, Germany; acetonitrile for HPLC from J.T. Backer and
acetone Chromar from Mallinckrodt, Phillipsburg, USA. Trans-b-
carotene 30% FS (UE00607050) was obtained from DSM Nutritional
Fig. 1. Buriti (Mauritia exuosa L.f.); (a) a bunch of buriti fruits from the buriti palm; (b) lyophilized buriti pulp.
Product (France); a-carotene and lutein were puried from Peres-
kia leaves.
2.3. Moisture determination
Cerrado
Gois The moisture content of the fruits was determined using an
16 53 8910 oven at 105 C, until constant weight (AOAC, 2005).
49 20 0650
780
2.4. Total carotenoids
80.1
174.2 Carotenoid extraction was conducted according to Rodriguez-
November Amaya (2001), with all stages being developed in a temperature-
controlled environment, with reduced lighting and antioxidant
addition (butylated hydroxytoluene-BHT). Aliquots of buriti pulp
(1.0 g) were used for carotenoid extraction with cold acetone
through shaking and vacuum ltration, three consecutive times.
The extracts were then transferred to the petroleum ether and
washed with distilled water in a separatory funnel. The ether
extract was read in a V-630 UVVis spectrophotometer (Jasco,
Tokyo, Japan), with absorbance between 350 and 700 nm. For the
calculation, the carotenoid absorbance at peak wavelength and
the molar absorption coefcient of b-carotene in petroleum ether
(2592) were used.
2.5. Carotenoid prole by HPLCPDA
The carotenoid separation was carried out using high perfor-
mance liquid chromatography (HPLC) according to Azevedo-
Meleiro and Rodriguez-Amaya (2004), with the equipment Varian
PS-335 Photodiode Array Detector, PS-240 solvent delivery, PS-410
auto sampler and software Galaxie 1.9. The carotenoids were sep-
arated in column C18 ODS-2 150  4.6 mm3 lm (Waters), using
acetonitrile (containing 0.05% triethylamine):methanol:ethyl ace-
tate 95:5:0, during the initial 20 min of the running, and
60:20:20 between 20 and 45 min of the running. The ow used
was 0.5 mL/min and the injected volume was 10 lL. The identica-
tions were performed through the absorption spectra in UVVis
given by the photodiode array detector (PDA), according to the elu-
tion order and comparison with standards.
2.6. Extraction
The extraction was carried out according to the method
described by Prior et al. (2003) with modications. To obtain the
extract with lipophilic fractions, hexane was added to the lyophi-
lized fractions; these were centrifuged and the supernatant was
 T.L.N. Cndido et al. / Food Chemistry 177 (2015) 313319
removed. The extract obtained was diluted with b-cyclodextrin
and used for performing the ORAC lipophilic test. Acetone/water/
acetic acid solution (70:29.5:0.5) was added to the residue, fol-
lowed by ultrasound homogenization and storage at room temper-
ature for 10 min. Then, this residue was centrifuged, and the
supernatant was removed and transferred to a 10 mL volumetric
ask, thus obtaining the extract with the hydrophilic fractions. This
extract was submitted to total phenolic and antioxidant capacity
determination with the ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and hydrophilic ORAC
methods.
2.7. Total phenolics
The assay was performed according to the methodology
described by Singleton and Rossi (1965). The extracts (0.25 mL)
were mixed with 0.25 mL of FolinCiocalteu reagent, 2.5 mL of
ultrapure water and 0.25 mL of sodium carbonate (10%). They were
kept at room temperature for 60 min, with absorbance reading at
725 nm using the UV/Vis V-630 spectrophotometer (Jasco, Tokyo,
Japan). The results were expressed in milligrams of GAE (gallic acid
equivalent) per 100 g of fresh sample.
2.8. Antioxidant capacity
2.8.1. ABTS method +
The ABTS method was carried out according to the methodology
described by Re et al. (1999), with modications. The ABTS radical
was formed from the reaction of 140 mM potassium persulfate
with 7 mM ABTS stock solution, kept in the dark and at room tem-
perature for 16 h. For the analysis, ABTS radical was diluted in
ethyl alcohol until a solution with absorbance of 70 nm 0.05 nm
at 734 nm was obtained. A 30 lL aliquot of each extract was then
homogenized with 3 mL of the ABTS radical. Absorbance of the
samples was read at 734 nm after 6 min of reaction. The results
were expressed in lmol of trolox equivalent per gram of fresh sam-
ple (lmol TE g1).
2.8.2. DPPH method
The DPPH radical scavenging method was performed according
to the methodology described by Brand-Williams, Cuvelier, and
Berset (1995), with modications. A 0.1 mL aliquot of the sample
extract was added to 3.9 mL of DPPH solution (25 mg/L) and kept
at room temperature for 120 min under controlled luminosity.
Then, readings of sample absorbances were performed at
515 nm. The trolox standard curve was built from the inhibition
percentage versus the trolox concentration (50 mg/L to 250 mg/
L). The values were expressed in lmol of trolox equivalent per
gram of fresh sample (lmol TE g1).
2.8.3. FRAP method
The FRAP method was performed according to Benzie and Strain
(1996), with modications proposed by Pulido, Bravo, and Saura-
Calixto (2000). In this assay, 2.7 mL of FRAP reagent (0.3 M, pH
3.6 acetate buffer, 10 mM TPTZ and 20 mM ferric chloride) were
mixed with 90 lL of extract and 270 lL of distilled water, being
incubated for 30 min at 37 C. The FRAP solution was used as ref-
erence reagent, and absorbance was read at 595 nm. Trolox was
used as the standard for the calibration curve, in concentrations
that varied from 100 lmol/L to 800 lmol/L. The results were
expressed in lmol of trolox equivalents per gram of fresh sample
(lmol TE g1).
2.8.4. ORAC method
The ORAC assay (Oxygen radical absorbance capacity) was per-
formed according to Prior et al. (2003), with changes. The extracts
containing the water and fat-soluble fractions were diluted with
315
phosphate buffer solutions (75 mM, pH 7.1) and randomly methyl-
ated b-cyclodextrin (7%), respectively. In a microplate, 25 lL of the
sample was mixed with 150 lL of 40 nM uorescein solution, and
this was incubated at 37 C for 30 min, followed by the addition of
25 lL of 153 nM AAPH. The plate reader Synergy Multi-Detection
Microplate Reader (BioTek Instruments, Vermont, USA) was pro-
grammed to record the uorescence every minute after addition
of AAPH, for 60 min. Integration of the area under the uorescence
decay curve was performed using the software Gen5. b-Cyclodex-
trin and phosphate buffer solutions were employed as blanks.
The total antioxidant capacity was calculated from the sum of
the hydrophilic ORAC and lipophilic ORAC (Wu et al., 2004) and
the results were expressed as micromol of trolox equivalent (lmol
TE g1) per gram of fresh sample.
2.9. Statistical analysis
Results were expressed as mean standard deviation. Means
were compared through Students t-test and the 5% signicance
level was chosen as standard. The inuence of bioactive com-
pounds on antioxidant capacity and the correlation between the
methods were analyzed through Pearson product-moment correla-
tion coefcient. Calculations were performed with statistical pack-
ages Action (StatCamp, So Carlos, Brazil) and Statistica 7.0
(Statsoft Inc., Tulsa, United States).
3. Results and discussion
The phenolic content of buritis from the Cerrado region was
higher than that found for the Amazon region (Table 2). Tulipani,
Marzban, Hernd, Laimer, and Mezzetti (2011) have observed that
strawberries cultivated in low pluviometric index conditions and
higher sunlight incidence had higher phenolic contents in compar-
ison to strawberries cultivated in more homogeneous climate con-
ditions. There is a high possibility that a strong effect may occur
with the buriti fruits studied, since the fruits originating from the
Cerrado region are native to a savannah area, with higher sunlight
incidence and drier climate (Table 1). On the other hand, Mori,
Goto-Yamamoto, Kitayama, and Hashizume (2007) have veried
a reduction of anthocyanin, and consequently of phenolic levels
in grapes exposed to high temperatures. This condition may have
inuenced the lower phenolic contents of buriti fruits from the
Amazon region.
We stress the importance of knowing the inuence of climatic
and geographical conditions on the production of secondary
metabolites of plants, as they assist in human interventions in
order to orient the synthesis of these compounds for the benet
of health.
The phenolic contents of buritis from both regions studied,
when compared to other fruits from the same Arecaceae family
(Table 2), were similar to those of aa berry, a fruit native to the
Amazon region, and lower than jussara and carnauba. Neverthe-
less, none of them compare to the extremely high phenolic con-
tents of bacaba, a fruit native to the Amazon and the Cerrado.
The phenolic contents found in buritis for both regions (Table 2)
were higher than those previously reported (281 mg AGE.100 g1)
for the buriti originating from the Colombian Amazon
(Contreras-Caldern, Caldern-Jaimes, Guerra-Hernndez, &
Garca-Villanova, 2011) and approximately three to four times
higher than those reported by Barreto, Benassi, and Mercadante
(2009), for the Brazilian Amazon buriti (108.1 mg AGE 100 g1).
The differences observed in total phenolics between the two
biomes (Cerrado and Amazon) can be associated with different
abiotic stresses (Gill & Tuteja, 2010) specic to each biome.
Furthermore, the differences between different accessions and
316 T.L.N. Cndido et al. / Food Chemistry 177 (2015) 313319
Table 2
Phenolic compounds and total carotenoids of fresh buriti pulp originated in two Brazilian Biomes and fruits described in other studies.
Species Family Moisture
(g 100 g1)1
Buriti Mauritia exuosa L.f. Arecaceae
Cerrado (Gois) 74.47 0.11a
Amazon (Par) 64.45 0.20b
Literature data
Bacaba Oenocarpus bacaba Arecaceae 43.10 1.53
Mart.
Jussara Euterpe edulis Arecaceae 90.2 1.3
Aa Euterpe oleracea Arecaceae 84.1 2.8
Carnaba Coperniciaprunifera Arecaceae 70.7 0.6
1
Values are shown as mean standard deviation (n = 3). Means followed by the same letter within each column are not signicantly different at p < 0.05. Students t test.
Values for fresh fruits.
2
Gallic acid equivalents.
populations show the large variability and diversity of native and
wild M. exuosa (buriti). This plant is dioecious (Martins, Santelli,
& Figueiras, 2010), which makes the variability within the popula-
tion more evident and makes the conservation of this native and
nutritionally rich species a priority.
Buriti fruits had high total carotenoid contents, but there was a
difference between both regions analyzed (Table 2). The fruits from
the Amazon biome presented higher content than those from the
Cerrado. Results from other authors conrm the variation between
regions. Lima et al. (2009) have observed a similar carotenoid con-
tent in buritis obtained from the Cerrado in the state of Gois, in
comparison to the value reported in this study for the same region.
Rosso and Mercadante (2007) have reported a total carotenoid
value of 513.83 lg g1 for the buriti from the Amazon region, sim-
ilar to that found in this article.
It is important to stress that fruits exposed to high tempera-
tures and higher sunlight incidence may have an increase in the
carotenogenesis process, or be submitted to photodegradation,
the latter being more common in open elds (Rodriguez-Amaya,
Kimura, Godoy, & Amaya-Farfan, 2008). These conditions may have
inuenced the carotenoid contents found for each region studied,
since the Amazon region is characterized by higher temperatures
and humidity and dense forest vegetation. In contrast, the fruits
from the Cerrado grow among open eld vegetation, with drier cli-
mate and lower temperatures in comparison to the Amazon region
(Table 1).
The comparison of total carotenoid results among fruits from
the Arecaceae family (Table 2) demonstrates that buriti is an
exceptional source of these pigments. The carotenoid prole of
fruits from the Cerrado and Amazon regions (Fig. 2) has shown
the presence of compounds previously detected by Rosso and
Mercadante (2007) in buritis from the Amazon. In our study, b-car-
otene isomers had a similar spectrum prole (Fig. 2), but 13-cis-b-
carotene (7) had a kmax at 446 nm, a cis peak at 340 nm and was
eluted after all-trans-b-carotene (6), which had a kmax at
453 nm. Additionally, a-carotene (5) and lutein (1) had the same
spectrum prole and kmax at 445 nm, but lutein (1), which is a
xanthophyll with two hydroxyl groups, was eluted earlier than
carotenes without hydroxyl groups; cis-d-carotene (4) had a kmax
at 455 nm and a cis peak at 350 nm; c-carotene (23) (spectrum
prole not represented in Fig. 2) had kmax at 461 nm. All-trans-
f-carotene was found in other analyzed samples and had kmax at
401 nm; cis- f-carotene had kmax at 399 nm and a cis peak at
294 nm. All these carotenoid proles were constructed in accor-
dance with Britton, Liaaen-Jensen, and Pfander (1995). This result
conrms the strong predominance of b-carotene (67), which in
Total phenolics Total carotenoids References
(mg AGE 100 g1)1,2 (mg 100 g1)1
435.08 6.97a 31.13 10.73b
362.90 7.98b 52.86 10.71a
1759.27 1.01 Finco et al.
(2012)
755 8.3 1.9 0.5 Runo et al.
(2010)
454 44.6 2.8 0.4 Runo et al.
(2010)
830 28.3 0.6 0.2 Runo et al.
(2010)
addition to having an important role concerning antioxidant capac-
ity, is a vitamin A precursor (Rodriguez-Amaya, Kimura, Godoy, &
Amaya-Farfan, 2008).
Antioxidant capacity in all methods used presented a signicant
difference for the regions studied, with the Cerrado biome showing
the highest capacity in all tests (Fig. 3). The Amazon biome is
humid and hot and the Cerrado is drier, especially in the winter,
and its soil is acidic, with high levels of aluminum. Contrasting
characteristics of these biomes are probably different ways of stim-
ulating abiotic stress responses (Gill & Tuteja, 2010) of this species
to antioxidant compounds.
As regards the ABTS method, the values found for buritis from
the Cerrado (46.63 lmol of TE g1) and the Amazon (33.02 lmol
of TE g1) were lower than that of the buriti from the Colombian
Amazon (70.2 lmol of TE g1) (Contreras-Caldern et al., 2011).
However, they were higher than other native Brazilian Cerrado
fruits such as genipapo (Genipa americana L.) and sweet passion
fruit (Passiora alata Dryand) (7.31 lmol of TE g1 and 10.84 lmol
of TE g1, respectively) (Souza, Pereira, Queiroz, Borges, & Carneiro,
2012).
The antioxidant capacity of buritis from both regions studied,
using the DPPH method, was higher than that reported in a study
with exotic Brazilian fruits, such as cambuci (Campomanesia phaea
Berg.) (9.0 lmol of TE g1), cattley guava (Psidium guineensis Sw.)
(4.1 lmol de TE g1) and jaracati (Jaracatia spinosa DC) (4.4 lmol
de TE g1) (Genovese, Pinto, Gonalves, & Lajolo, 2008). Consider-
ing the results in dry matter, we have observed that the antioxi-
dant capacity for the Cerrado biome (123.28 3.77 lmol of
TE g1) was higher than the value reported for the buriti from
the same location, which was approximately 20 lmol of TE g1
(Gonalves, Lajolo, & Genovese, 2010).
Our FRAP test results, when compared to the antioxidant capac-
ity determined with the same test in fruits produced in Colombia
(Contreras-Caldern et al., 2011), suggest that data are similar for
the buriti from the Colombian Amazon (27.8 lmol of TE g1) and
the Brazilian Amazon (26.95 lmol of TE g1) and they have
conrmed the superior antioxidant capacity of the buriti from
the Brazilian Cerrado (38.64 lmol of TE g1). Nevertheless, the
results from both regions were lower when compared to com-
monly sold fruits such as cashew (Anacardium occidentale) and pas-
sion fruit (Passiora molissima), with 125 lmol of TE g1 and
114 lmol of TE. g1, respectively (Contreras-Caldern et al., 2011).
With regard to the results obtained with the ORAC test, the val-
ues found for fruits from the Cerrado region were similar to that
observed for the black plum (Prunus nigra) (73.39 lmol of TE g1).
However, for fruits from the Amazon biome, the antioxidant
 T.L.N. Cndido et al. / Food Chemistry 177 (2015) 313319 317

Fig. 2. Chromatographic prole of carotenoids from buriti pulp extracts originated from two Brazilian biomes (a) Chromatographic prole of carotenoids from buriti pulp
extracts originated from the Amazon biome; (b) Chromatographic prole of carotenoids from buriti pulp extracts originated from the Cerrado biome. (1) Lutena; (2) cis-c-
caroteno; (3) trans-c-caroteno; (4) cis-d-caroteno; (5) a-caroteno; (6) all-trans-b-caroteno; (7) 13-cis-b-caroteno.

capacity was similar to that of fruits such as apple (Malus sylvestris

Fig. 3. Antioxidant activity determined by different methods in fresh buriti pulp
from two Brazilian biomes, the Cerrado and the Amazon 1Bars between regions
followed by the same letter are not signicantly different at p < 0.05. Students t
test.
var. red delicious) (42.75 lmol of TE g1) and raspberry (Rubus
occidentalis) (49.25 lmol of TE g1) (Wu et al., 2004).
The ORAC test results, concerning the regions analyzed, were
higher than the ones found using the ABTS, DPPH and FRAP meth-
ods. The highest antioxidant capacity values were also veried for
fruits from the Cerrado region. When results, in dry matter, for
buriti from the Brazilian Cerrado were compared, an antioxidant
capacity was reported with the ORAC test that was below
100 lmol of TE g1 (Gonalves et al., 2010) and lower than the
one found in this article (284.68 50.89 lmol of TE g1).
Emphasis must be given to the fact that the antioxidant com-
plex of a fruit matrix has a different activity pattern according to
each method and it may produce different results for each trial.
Therefore, the utilization of several in vitro methods is recom-
mended to ensure more reliable results (Huang, Ou, & Prior,
2005). The ORAC test may be considered a more accurate method,
since it uses a biologically relevant radical source (peroxyl) and
allows the measurement of total antioxidant capacity through
the combination of the antioxidant capacity of hydrophilic and
lipophilic fractions (Dudonn, Vitrac, Coutire, Woillez, &
Mrillon, 2009; Prior et al., 2003). The variability of the results
described may also be justied by the inuence of the growth
region on bioactive compound contents and consequently on the
antioxidant capacity.
We have observed a strong positive correlation between the
total phenolic content and the antioxidant capacity of buriti fruits
by the ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and ORAC methods (Table 3). Other stud-
ies have reported a relationship between phenolic content and
318 T.L.N. Cndido et al. / Food Chemistry 177 (2015) 313319
Table 3
Pearsons product-moment correlation coefcients of antioxidant activity, total
phenolics and total carotenoids.
Phenolics Carotenoids DPPH FRAP ABTS
Phenolics 1
Carotenoids 0.9956* 1 Benzie, I. F. F., & Strain, J. J. (1996). The ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) as a
DPPH 0.9578* 0.9727* 1 measure of antioxidant power. Analytical Biochemistry, 239, 7076.
FRAP 0.9933* 0.9979* 0.9661* 1 Brand-Williams, W., Cuvelier, M. E., & Berset, C. (1995). Use of a free radical method
ABTS 0.9771* 0.9908* 0.9874* 0.9844* 1 to evaluate antioxidant activity. Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft und-Technologie, 28,
ORAC 0.9950* 0.9913* 0.9593* 0.9880* 0.9719*
*
Signicant correlations at p < 0.05.
antioxidant capacity of fruits that is the same as the one found in
this article (Almeida et al., 2011; Contreras-Caldern et al., 2011;
Runo et al., 2010; Souza et al., 2012). According to the methodol-
ogy used, these results suggest that phenolic compounds may be
one of the main factors responsible for the antioxidant capacity
of buriti fruits. Caffeic acid hexoside, chlorogenic acid, (+)-catechin,
quercetin, myricetin, vitexin, scoparin, rutin, cyanidin-3-rutinoside
and cyanidin-3-glucoside were recently identied in extracts of
buriti fruit (Koolen, Silva, Gozzo, Souza, & Souza, 2013). Further-
more, the correlation observed in this paper is reinforced by the
relationship between the highest phenolic contents and, thus, the
antioxidant capacity of fruits from the Cerrado, with its savannah
vegetation and sub-humid tropical climate.
The correlation among the ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and ORAC tests
indicates that the buriti extract may have a comparable antioxi-
dant capacity for all tests, according to the results reported in other
articles (Thaipong, Boonprakoba, Crosbyb, Cisneros-Zevallosc, &
Byrnec, 2006; Dudonn et al., 2009). Although the tests use differ-
ent action mechanisms, a high correlation between ORAC and FRAP
has been reported by Connor, Luby, and Tong (2002) as well.
We emphasize that for food matrices such as the buriti, with
high lipid and carotenoid contents, ORAC and ABTS methods may
give better antioxidant capacity estimates. However, studies must
be carried out in order to better evaluate the contribution of these
compounds to the antioxidant capacity of buriti fruits.
4. Conclusions
We have concluded that the regions from which the buriti fruits
were obtained inuenced the content of bioactive compounds and
the antioxidant capacity. The fruits from the Cerrado region were
more promising regarding phenolics and antioxidant capacity.
Nonetheless, the best source of total carotenoids was that from
the Amazon region. The carotenoid prole presented b-carotene
predominance in both regions studied. The positive correlation
found among the methods used (ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and ORAC) sug-
gests that for a high lipid and carotenoid content food matrix, the
tests may be comparable regarding the antioxidant capacity. The
variation in antioxidant and carotenoid contents of buriti fruits,
according to the region of origin, reinforces the importance of
native fruits as bioactive sources and the need for future investiga-
tions leading to a better understanding of the antioxidant capacity
of these fruits and their contribution to public health.
References
Almeida, M. M. B., Sousa, P. H. M., Arriaga, A. M. C., Prado, G. M., Magalhes, C. E. C.,
Maia, G. A., et al. (2011). Bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of fresh
exotic fruits from northeastern Brazil. Food Research International, 44,
21552159.
AOAC. (2005). Ofcial methods of analysis (18th ed.). Gaithersburg: AOAC
International.
Azevedo-Meleiro, C. H., & Rodriguez-Amaya, D. B. (2004). Conrmation of the
identity of the carotenoides of tropical fruits by HPLCDAD and HPLCMS.
Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 17, 385396.
Barreto, G. P. M., Benassi, M. T., & Mercadante, A. Z. (2009). Bioactive compounds
ORAC from several tropical fruits and correlation by multivariate analysis to free
radical scavenger activity. Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, 20,
18561861.
1 2530.
Britton, G., Liaaen-Jensen, S., & Pfander, H. (Eds.). (1995). Carotenoids Vol. 1B:
Spectroscopy (pp. 360). Basel: Birkhauser Verlag.
Connor, A. M., Luby, J. J., & Tong, C. B. S. (2002). Variability in antioxidant activity in
blueberry and correlations among different antioxidant activity assays. Journal
of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 127, 238244.
Contreras-Caldern, J., Caldern-Jaimes, L., Guerra-Hernndez, E., & Garca-
Villanova, B. (2011). Antioxidant capacity, phenolic content and vitamin C in
pulp, peel and seed from 24 exotic fruits from Colombia. Food Research
International, 44, 20472053.
Crowe, F. L., Roddam, A. W., Key, T. J., Appleby, P. N., Overvad, K., Jakobsen, M. U.,
et al. (2011). Fruit and vegetable intake and mortality from ischaemic heart
disease: Results from the European prospective investigation into cancer and
nutrition (EPIC)-heart study. European Heart Journal, 32, 12351243.
Dudonn, S., Vitrac, X., Coutire, P., Woillez, M., & Mrillon, J. M. (2009).
Comparative study of antioxidant properties and total phenolic content of 30
plant extracts of industrial interest using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, SOD, and ORAC
assays. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 57, 17681774.
Finco, F. D. B. A., Kammerer, D. R., Carle, R., Tseng, W. H., Bser, S., & Graeve, L.
(2012). Antioxidant activity and characterization of phenolic compounds from
Bacaba (Oenocarpus bacaba Mart.) fruit by HPLC-DAD-MSn. Journal of
Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 60, 76657673.
Gawlik-Dziki, U. (2012). Changes in the antioxidant activities of vegetables as a
consequence of interactions between active compounds. Journal of Functional
Foods, 4, 872882.
Genovese, M. I., Pinto, M. S., Gonalves, A. E. S. S., & Lajolo, F. M. (2008). Bioactive
compounds and antioxidant capacity of exotic fruits and commercial frozen
pulps from Brazil. Food Science and Technology International, 14, 207214.
Gonalves, A. N. S. S., Lajolo, F. M., & Genovese, M. I. (2010). Chemical composition
and antioxidant/antidiabetic potential of Brazilian native fruits and commercial
frozen pulps. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 58, 46664674.
Gill, S. S., & Tuteja, N. (2010). Reactive oxygen species and antioxidant machinery in
abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 48,
909930.
Huang, D., Ou, B., & Prior, R. L. (2005). The chemistry behind antioxidant capacity
assays: Reviews. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 53, 18411856.
Koolen, H. H. F., Silva, F. M. A., Gozzo, F. C., Souza, A. Q. L., & Souza, A. D. L. (2013).
Antioxidant, antimicrobial activities and characterization of phenolic
compounds from buriti (Mauritia exuosa L.f.) by UPLCESI-MS/MS. Food
Research International, 51, 467473.
Lima, A. L. S., Lima, K. S. C., Coelho, M. J., Silva, J. M., Godoy, R. L. O., & Pacheco, S.
(2009). Avaliao dos efeitos da radiao gama nos teores de carotenides,
cido ascrbico e acares do fruto buriti do brejo (Mauritia exuosa L.). Acta
Amazonica, 39, 649654.
Lorenzi, H., Souza, H. M., Costa, J. T. M., Cerqueira, L. S. C., & Ferreira, E. (2004).
Palmeiras brasileiras e exticas cultivadas. Nova Odessa: Instituto Plantarum.
Martins, R. C., Santelli, P., & Figueiras, T. S. (2010). Buriti. In R. F. Vieira (Ed.), Frutas
nativas da Regio Centro-Oeste do Brasil (pp. 109126). Braslia: Embrapa.
Mori, K., Goto-Yamamoto, N., Kitayama, M., & Hashizume, K. (2007). Loss of
anthocyanins in red-wine grape under high temperature. Journal of
Experimental Botany, 58, 19351945.
Prior, R. L., Hoang, H., Gu, L., Wu, X., Bacchiocca, M., Howard, L., et al. (2003). Assays
for hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacity (oxygen radical absorbance
capacity (ORACFL)) of plasma and other biological and food samples. Journal of
Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 51, 32733279.
Pulido, R., Bravo, L., & Saura-Calixto, F. (2000). Antioxidant activity of dietary
polyphenols as determined by a modied ferric reducing antioxidant power
assay. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 48, 33963402.
Re, R., Pellegrini, N., Proteggente, A., Pannala, A., Yang, M., & Rice-Evans, C. (1999).
Antioxidant activity applying an improved ABTS radical ction decolorization
assay. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 26, 12311237.
Rodriguez-Amaya, D. B. (2001). A guide to carotenoid analysis in foods. Washington:
International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Press.
Rodriguez-Amaya, D. B., Kimura, M., Godoy, H. T., & Amaya-Farfan, J. (2008).
Updated Brazilian database on food carotenoids: Factors affecting carotenoid
composition. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 21, 445463.
Rosso, V. V., & Mercadante, A. Z. (2007). Identication and quantication of
carotenoids, by HPLC-PDA-MS/MS, from Amazonian fruits. Journal of
Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 55, 50625072.
Runo, M. S. M., Alves, R. E., Brito, E. S., Prez-Jimnez, J., Saura-Calixto, F., &
Mancini-Filho, J. (2010). Bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacities of 18
non-traditional tropical fruits from Brazil. Food Chemistry, 121, 9961002.
Singleton, V. L., & Rossi, J. A. (1965). Colorimetry of total phenolics with
phosphomolybdic phosphotungstic acid reagents. American Journal of Enology
and Viticulture, 16, 144158.
 T.L.N. Cndido et al. / Food Chemistry 177 (2015) 313319 319

Souza, V. R., Pereira, P. A. P., Queiroz, F., Borges, S. V., & Carneiro, J. D. S. (2012).
Determination of bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and chemical
composition of Cerrado Brazilian fruits. Food Chemistry, 134, 381386.
Thaipong, K., Boonprakoba, U., Crosbyb, K., Cisneros-Zevallosc, L., & Byrnec, D. H.
(2006). Comparison of ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC assays for estimating
antioxidant activity from guava fruit extracts. Journal of Food Composition and
Analysis, 19, 669675.
Tulipani, S., Marzban, G., Hernd, A., Laimer, M., & Mezzetti, M. B. (2011). Inuence of
environmental and genetic factors on health-related compounds in strawberry.
Food Chemistry, 124, 906913.
Wu, X., Beecher, G. R., Holden, J. M., Haytowitz, D. B., Gebhardt, S. E., & Prior, R. L.
(2004). Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of common foods in
the United States. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 52, 40264037.