Antioxidant activity of macambo (Theobroma bicolor L.) extracts

Macambo is an edible fruit species from the Amazon Region with a high content of lipids (33%). Macambo samples were obtained from the Amazon Region, dried at 60°C, milled (32 mesh sieve) and submitted to sequential extraction using ether, ethanol and water as solvents. The antioxidant activity of the ether, ethanol and aqueous extracts was 47%, 68% and 67%, respectively, and the antioxidant activity of the control butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was 64%. Three phenolic fractions were obtained with tetrahydrofuran: free phenolic acids, soluble and insoluble phenolic esters. The antioxidant activity of these fractions was 83%, 85% and 93% respectively, and the antioxidant activity of the control BHT was 64%. The phenolic acids were identified on the basis of relative retention times as compared with standards. The fractions obtained showed the presence of the following phenolic acids: salicylic, transcinnamic, sinapinic, chlorogenic, protocatechinic, gallic, quinic, and p-hydroxibenzoic acid. The presence of phenolic compounds in macambo fruit extracts may be responsible for its rather high antioxidant activity and the results obtained suggest that macambo extracts could be used as food antioxidants. Further studies are in progress to analyze the use of its extracts and phenolic fractions in edible oil shelf life.