title: Native carotenoids composition of some tropical fruits.
abstract: Many tropical fruits can be considered a reservoir of bioactive substances with a special interest due to their possible health-promoting properties. The interest in carotenoids from a nutritional standpoint has recently greatly increased, because of their important health benefits. Here we report the native carotenoids composition in six tropical fruits from Panama, which is considered a region of great biodiversity. The native carotenoid composition was directly investigated by an HPLC-DAD-APCI-MS methodology, for the first time. In Corozo 32 different carotenoids were detected, including a high content of β-carotene and lycopene. Sastra showed the highest content of zeaxanthin among the fruit investigated. In Sapote 22 different carotenoids were detected, including β-carotene and 10 different zeaxanthin-di-esters. Frutita showed a very high content of the apo-carotenoid β-citraurin, and of a number of its esters. In Maracuyà chino 14 carotenoids were detected, including a high amounts of mono-esterified lauric acid with β-cryptoxanthin and with cryptocapsin. Mamey rojo was characterised by ketocarotenoids with κ rings, both hydroxylated and not hydroxylated.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquimica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales Exactas y Tecnologia, Universidad de Panama, Panama.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Murillo
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giuffrida
authors.forename: Dania
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Menchaca
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dugo
authors.forename: Germana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Torre
authors.forename: Antonio J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Meléndez-Martinez
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mondello
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004951:Esterification; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010176:Panama; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D024341:Xanthophylls; D002338:Carotenoids