Tamarillo (Solanum betaceum): Chemical composition, biological properties, and product innovation

Background Tamarillo (Solanum betaceum) is native to South America and is cultivated in several other parts of the world for its valued fruit. The fruit has therapeutic and nutritional properties that can satisfy the demands from health-conscious consumers. There has been increasing interest in using tamarillo for consumption and food and non-food product formulations. Overall, tamarillo is an underutilized, sustainable fruit crop with great potential for value-added products. Scope and approach This review summarizes the composition of nutritional components and biological properties of tamarillo. The chemical and biological properties of tamarillo are compared to those of common fruits and vegetables. Food and other uses of tamarillo are described. Innovative methods for the development of tamarillo-based products are suggested to maximize the potential of this fruit. Key findings and conclusions Tamarillo has a range of nutrients including dietary fibers, polyphenols, vitamins C, A, B, and E, carotenoids, potassium and iron. Health effects of tamarillo included antioxidative, antiproliferative, antinociceptive, antiinflammatory, allergenicity, and anti-obese properties. These health effects have been tentatively correlated to certain phytochemicals (e.g., non-starch polysaccharides, carotenoids, and anthocyanins). The properties of tamarillo-derived ingredients mainly depended on the cultivar and origin, plant parts, extraction conditions and analytical procedures. Research is needed to explore the composition-activity relationships and mechanisms underlying a biological activity. An array of tamarillo based products have been developed. Overall, tamarillo is a promising “new” fruit crop with potential to be exploited as a source of “healthy” products.