This integrative review aims to identify the main flavonoids present in some species of the Myrtaceae family. Studies published between 2016 and 2022 were selected, specifically those which were fully available and written in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, and which were related to the fruits araçá (Psidium cattleianum), cambuí (Myrciaria floribunda), gabiroba (Campomanesia xanthocarpa), jabuticaba (Plinia cauliflora), and jambolan (Syzygium cumini). Scientific studies were gathered and selected in Google Scholar, Scielo, and Science Direct indexed databases, out of which 14 were about araçá, 7 concerned cambuí, 4 were about gabiroba, 29 were related to jabuticaba, and 33 concerned jambolan, when we observed the pre-established inclusion criteria. Results showed that the anthocyanins, such as cyanidin, petunidin, malvidin, and delphinidin, were the mostly identified class of flavonoids in plants of the Myrtaceae family, mainly relating to the purple/reddish color of the evaluated fruits. Other compounds, such as catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, and rutin were also identified in different constituent fractions, such as leaves, peel, pulp, seeds, and in developed products, such as jams, desserts, wines, teas, and other beverages. It is also worth noting the positive health effects verified in these studies, such as anti-inflammatory qualities for jambolan, antidiabetic qualities for gabiroba, antioxidant qualities for araçá, and cardioprotective actions for jabuticaba, which are related to the presence of these phytochemicals. Therefore, it is possible to point out that flavonoids are important compounds in the chemical constitution of the studied plants of the Myrtaceae family, with promising potential in the development of new products by the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries due to their bioactive properties.

Coffee silverskin (CS) is a by-product of the coffee roasting process that is known for its potential as a fiber source with antioxidant properties. Therefore, this study aimed to provide an overview of the latest research on CS as a potential ingredient for functional foods and to evaluate the effect of adding different amounts of CS on the functional and sensory attributes of chocolate cakes. The addition of CS increased the total dietary fiber content, antioxidant capacity and the contents of extractable and non-extractable phenolics in the cakes. The evaluated sensory attributes were color, smell, taste, texture and overall impression, and they were evaluated according to a 9-point hedonic scale. Internal preference maps were obtained based on the results from acceptance and “intention to buy” tests. In general, the cakes with lower coffee silverskin content (2.6% and 3.6%) had a similar level of acceptance and the cake with 4.6% coffee silverskin content was the least accepted. The most important attributes were taste and overall impression, corresponding to “like slightly” and “like moderately” for the cakes that had better acceptance. Nonetheless, even with the lowest amount of added CS (2.6%), the produced cakes could be regarded as antioxidant fiber sources (with fiber content above 3 g/100 g), thus confirming the potential of CS as a functional food additive.

In this study, the peels of the yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) were used to develop a flour that was evaluated in terms of its physicochemical, microscopic, colorimetric, and granulometric characteristics, its total phenolic compound and carotenoid contents, and its antioxidant capacity. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy measurements were employed to investigate the constituent functional groups, compounds’ chemical profiles were assessed by Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry (PS-MS), and the compound’s chemical profiles were evaluated by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC). This flour presented a light color, heterogeneous granulometry, high carbohydrate, carotenoid, and total phenolic compound contents with high antioxidant capacity. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed a particulate flour, which is supposed to contribute to its compactness. FTIR demonstrated the presence of functional groups corresponding to cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, constituents of insoluble dietary fiber. The PS-MS analysis suggested the presence of 22 substances, covering diverse component classes such as organic, fatty, and phenolic acids, flavonoids, sugars, quinones, phenylpropanoid glycerides terpenes, and amino acids. This research demonstrated the potential of using Passion Fruit Peel Flour (PFPF) as an ingredient for food products. The advantages of using PFPF comprise the reduction of agro-industrial waste, contribution to the development of a sustainable food system, and increment of food products’ functional profile. Moreover, its high content of several bioactive compounds can benefit consumers’ health.

The objective of this review is to present arrowroot (Maranta arundinaceae L.) as a potential for producing gluten-free products, considering the nutritional and technological properties of the plant. This unconventional vegetable is little studied and has almost disappeared from the market due to the introduction of new flours at industrial level. However, in recent years the food industries have again shown interest in arrowroot starch, mainly small producers, motivated by the price on the international market and the possibility of its use in the diet for people with Celiac Disease. Arrowroot rhizome has high amounts of phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, and zinc, as well as medium content of phenylalanine and low amounts of fruit and oligosaccharides. Regarding rheological properties, the plant presents negative syneresis, stability during cooking, higher solubility, and absorption index in milk. Although the best nutritional and sensory quality of gluten-free products produced with arrowroot, such as breads, ice cream stabilizers, and infant formulas, there is a scarcity of studies in the literature that use the plant as a raw material for the development of new potential market products. This article allows for the comprehensiveness of the arrowroot’s characteristics and forms a theoretical basis for future research.