Antioxidant activity, total phenolic compounds and physico-chemical characteristics of Champagne and Pêra Rio orange

• Grant number: 13/25610-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2014
• End date: April 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Magali Conceição Monteiro da Silva
• Grantee: Fernanda Henriques Drygalla Moreira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Brazil is the largest producer of orange in the world and the largest world wide orange juice producer and exporter. São Paulo and Triângulo mineiro are responsible for more than 80% of the orange production of the country. 15.34 million ton of orange were produced in São Paulo in the 2011/2012 harvest, with estimation of 12.11 million ton of orange for the 2013/2014 harvest. From each 5 cups of orange juice consumed in the world, 3 are produced in Brazil. Orange is rich in bioactive substances with antioxidant properties like vitamin C and flavonoid compounds, which are able to stabilize free radicals formed during the metabolism, minimizing DNA and proteins damage, membrane lipid peroxidation, etc, that have been associated to chronic diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer, cardiovascular diseases, and others. The Pêra Rio orange is the main variety cultivated in Brazil and responsible for the majority of the brasilian orange juice exportation. The Champagne orange is not very well known and has as main characteristic flavor of champagne (sparkling wine). There is little information available in literature about Champagne orange and its juice. The objective of this project is to evaluate the antioxidant activity, the total phenolic compounds and the physical-chemical characteristics of Champagne and Pêra Rio orange juice. The Champagne orange will be evaluated with the objective to estimate its potential for commercial juice production. The rootstocks and the extraction configuration influence on juice quality will be evaluated during the Pêra Rio orange harvest.