Composición nutricional, fitoquímica y bioactividad de frutas endémicas de la Amazonía ecuatoriana

Abstract

Abstract: The Amazonian fruit species of Ecuador have been a source of food for their communities since ancient times, their cultivation was reduced with the introduction of livestock and mining activity that poses a risk of extinction without being previously investigated. Under this premise, the present work was developed that aims to collect information on the nutritional composition, phytochemical and bioactivity of the species Bactris gasipaes (Chonta), Borojoa patinoi (Borojó), Eugenia stipitata (Arazá), Pourouma cecropiifolia (Uva de Monte) and Solanum sessiliflorum (Cocona); that have been selected for their importance as a food resource. It is highlighted that the nutrient content of the fruits guarantees the benefits of their consumption fresh or as raw material to be incorporated into food matrices, they are also widely accepted for their organoleptic characteristics; on the other hand, the content of phytochemical compounds in pulp, skin and seeds is evidenced, showing antioxidant, antitumor activity and related to the optimization of the lipid and carbohydrate metabolism process. According to the aforementioned, all the fruits have potential for the development of food products with added value.