Antioxidant metabolism during fruit development of different acerola (Malpighia emarginata D.C) clones.

The present research work describes the major changes in the antioxidant properties during development of acerola from five different clones. Ripening improved fruit physicochemical quality parameters; however, total vitamin C and total soluble phenols (TSP) contents declined during development, which resulted in a lower total antioxidant activity (TAA). Despite the decline in TSP, at ripening, the anthocyanin and yellow flavonoid content increased and was mainly constituted of cyanidin 3-rhamnoside and quercetin 3-rhamnoside, respectively. The activities of oxygen-scavenging enzymes also decreased with ripening; furthermore, the reduction in vitamin C was inversely correlated to membrane lipid peroxidation, indicating that acerola ripening is characterized by a progressive oxidative stress. Among the studied clones, II47/1, BRS 237, and BRS 236 presented outstanding results for vitamin C, phenols, and antioxidant enzyme activity. If antioxidants were to be used in the food supplement industry, immature green would be the most suitable harvest stage; for the consumer's market, fruit should be eaten ripe.