The antioxidative potential and volatile constituents of mangaba fruit over the storage period

The effects of cold storage on the volatile constituents and antioxidative potential of mangaba fruit was investigated. Fruit samples were stored at four different temperatures for 20 days. The antioxidative activity (DPPH) and levels of phenolic compounds (Folin Ciocalteu) and ascorbic acid (Colorimetric method) were evaluated every five days, and the extraction and identification of volatile compounds (SPME) using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry were also performed every five days. The mangaba fruit presented high levels of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid as well as high antioxidative activity. In spite of storage temperature, there was a reduction in the antioxidative potential along the time course, and this was attributed to the reduction in phenolics. The chemical compounds that were found belong to the following classes: alcohols (25%), aldehydes (25%), terpenes (19%), other hydrocarbons (19%), esters (9%) and ketones (3%). According to PCA analysis, three groups can be distinguished based on the storage time and refrigeration: fruits at the beginning of cold storage were grouped due to their high levels of trans-2-hexanal; the only sample that was not submitted to cold storage was apart from the others due to its higher percentage of trans-hex-3-en-1-ol and for being the only sample to show the esters methyl lactate and ethyl lactate.