Biodiversity and food composition: nutritional data of Brazilian native fruits underused from Brazilian Flora

Author(s)

Ricardo Jorge Silva Mendes

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP/CIR)
• Defense date: 2015-04-10

Examining board members

Deborah Helena Markowicz Bastos; Daniela Moura de Oliveira Beltrame; Veridiana Vera de Rosso

• Advisor: Deborah Helena Markowicz Bastos

Abstract

Background: Brazil is a country with a vast biological diversity, containing 15-20 per cent of all species on the planet. In order to map this rich biodiversity that is underutilized, the Ministry of Environment released, throughout the year of 2004 and 2005, the initiative \"Plants for the Future\" whose main goal was to identify the native species of Brazilian flora that have current economic value and potential. The project listed 674 native species from different regions of Brazil with different applications: food, fruits, medicine, ornamental, and other purposes. The fruit species listed are, in the majority, underutilized and one reason for that is the lack of nutritional data. Objective: This study aims to compile nutritional composition data of native fruits species listed by the \"Plants for the Future\" in order to provide macro and micronutrients data that can be inserted in food composition tables and at the same time, evaluate the quality of nutritional data in scientific publications that support the compilation of compositional data. Methodology: For the compilation of the data it was used the methodology recommended by FAO/INFOODS (FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION/The International Network of Food Data Systems) with the use of the Compilation tool. The bibliographical research was conducted in national and international journals and theses and dissertations databases. The criteria considered essential for the compilation were known scientific name of the food, indicated methodology and known expression unit. The quality of the published data used in this study was assessed using indicators such as number of samples, sampling plan, treatment of the sample, analytical method and analytical quality control. Results: Nutritional data were obtained for 26 fruit species in the five geopolitical regions. The fruit species that stand out for high content of dietary fiber are: jatoba (45.7 g / 100 g), murici (9.72 g / 100 g), pequi (9.7 g / 100 g) and tucuma-açu (6.2 g / 100 g). Regarding to quantity of calcium, these fruit species contain higher concentrations: mamãozinho (89.5 mg / 100 g), tucumã-açu (87.4 mg / 100 g) and these other are rich in magnesium: mamãozinho (87.6 mg / 100 g) and maracujá-do-cerrado (69 mg / 100 g). The concentration of Vitamin C is seen highly in the camu-camu with skin (1888.2 mg / 100 g), mangaba (332 mg / 100 g) and in the caju-do-cerrado (294 mg / 100 g). The analysis of the collected publications revealed gaps in methodological information necessary to evaluate the quality of nutritional data. Conclusion: Nutritional composition data for underutilized fruit species, if any, relate primarily to macronutrients. There is a need to alert researchers on the importance of, in publishing their articles, remembering to enter the required information to the build work. The fruit species analyzed in this work should be considered for the Brazilian diet compared to other contemporary and more consumed fruits in Brazil. The availability of these nutritional data on food tables will contribute to the use and conservation of native fruit species, improving human wellbeing and nutrition. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/06689-0 - BIODIVERSITY AND COMPOSITION OF FOODS: DATA NATIVE FOOD NUTRITION FRUIT USED UNDER-THE BRAZILIAN FLORA
• Grantee: Ricardo Jorge Silva Mendes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master