Chemical Characterization, Antioxidant Potential and Phenolic Profile of the Pulp and By-Products of Black puçá (Mouriri pusa), a Fruit from the Brazilian Cerrado region.

The black puçá (Mouriri pusa) is an unconventional fruit from the Cerrado region of Brazil, commonly known as the jabuticaba of the forest. However, data on its nutritional and phytochemical composition are limited. This study investigated the nutritional composition, physicochemical characteristics, profile of carbohydrates and organic acids, phenolics and flavonoids individual, amino acids composition, bioactive substances, and antioxidant potential in the pulp, peel, and seed fractions of puçá-preto. The results confirm that puçá-preto is an important nutritional source. The main organic acids were malic acid (187.54 − 290.50 mg g⁻¹) followed by tartaric acid (57.89 − 134.79 mg g⁻¹). In the black puçá, 8 of the 9 essential amino acids were determined, with arginine presenting the highest results (0.24 – 2.03 g 100 g⁻¹), followed by glutamic acid (0.34 – 1.87 g 100 g⁻¹). It presented satisfactory results for vitamin C, carotenoids, and anthocyanins, demonstrating potential for pigment extraction. The pulp and peel showed good antioxidant activity in capturing free radicals by the DPPH method and reducing ferric ions in the pulp. Regarding individual phenolic compounds, quercetin was the major compound in the pulp fraction (4.69 µg mL⁻¹); on the other hand, kaempferol had greater expression in the peels (20.78 µg mL⁻¹), while myricetin was quantified only in the seeds (10.67 µg mL⁻¹). The results showed that black puçá is rich in nutrients and bioactive products and can be fully utilized. The products from black puçá processing can be applied in the food and pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]