Avaliação da capacidade antioxidante do Vaccinium myrtillus l (mirtilo) e comparação com as espécies Malpighia emarginata (acerola) e Vitis vinifera l (uva)

Abstract

Antioxidants are a heterogeneous group of substances able to delay or inhibit oxidation of an oxidizable substrate. The role of antioxidants is to protect the healthy cells of the organism against the oxidizing action of free radicals. A diet rich in the consumption of fruits, vegetables and grains contributes to the reduction of oxidative stress and helps prevent diseases. Thus, the objective of this work was to compare the antioxidant activity of blueberries and some red or purple fruits of the season that have phenolic compounds. For the tests, the following samples were used: whole purple grape juice, frozen fruit: blueberry and acerola and pink grape. For the tests, it was used concentrated juice samples under dilutions required for each method. The analytical methods were the 2% iodine method and DPPH (2,2-difenil-1-picrilhidrazil). With the tests, it was possible to determine quantitatively the blueberry's antioxidant activity compared with acerola, pink grapefruit and whole purple grape juice. So, it was concluded, by the qualitative and quantitative tests, that the blueberry has considerable antioxidant power, slightly fewer than detected in purple grape and cherry, fruits that are already established by this property in literature. The blueberry, has attracted special attention due to its high antioxidant capacity and high concentration of anthocyanins and other phenolic compounds, presenting it self as desirable and nutrition fruit.