Introduction. The BrazilianCerrado presents a wide vegetable diversity, which is used for differentpurposes, especially in human feeding. Among the various fruitsof the Cerrado, the araticum (Annona crassiflora Mart.)stands out, due to its high nutritional value and technologicalpotential. The physical characteristics, chemical composition (titratableacidity, pH, moisture, ash, total dietary fiber, lipids and proteins),occurrence and content of vitamin C (ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids),carotenoids (-carotene, -, - and 100 g100 g100 g100 g100 gg1 and 494.04 100 g–1, respectively. Conclusion. Araticum presented high energy value andhigh dietary fiber content. It is a source of vitamin C and folates, andan excellent source of vitamin A.

Introduction. The mangaba isan exotic fruit from the Brazilian Cerrado that presents high antioxidantactivity and may benefit human health. Its antioxidant activitymay be associated with the presence of bioactive compounds suchas carotenoids and antioxidant vitamins. The physical and chemicalcharacteristics, nutritional value, carotenoids and antioxidantvitamins were evaluated in mangaba from the Cerrado of Minas Gerais,Brazil. Materials and methods. Titratable acidity wasdetermined by volumetric neutralization, pH by potentiometry, solublesolids by refractometry, moisture by gravimetry after oven drying,ash by calcination in a muffle furnace, proteins by the micro-Kjeldhalmethod, dietary fibers by the gravimetric non-enzymatic method andlipids by gravimetry after extraction in ethyl ether. Vitamin C(ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids) and carotenoids (-carotene, -, - and 100 g100 g-carotene,-tocopherol; - and 100 gg1). Carotenoid and vitamin E contents were 0.12 mg1and 2,732.5 100 g–1, respectively. Conclusion. Mangabapresented a high pulp yield, and several carotenoids and antioxidant vitamins,and can be considered an excellent source of vitamin C and folates.

Introduction. The Brazilian Savannah presents a wide vegetable diversity that produces fruit that have unique characteristics and should be better characterized and exploited. The agricultural-economic exploration of the fruits from the Savannah contributes to income generation and may play an important role in improving human nutrition. The aim of our research was to evaluate the physical characteristics (diameter, height and mass), chemical composition (moisture, ash, proteins, lipids, dietary fiber, titratable acidity, soluble solids and pH), occurrence and content of vitamin C (ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid), carotenoids (-carotene, -, - and 100 g100 g100 g100 g100 g100 gg1 and 110.52 100 g–1, respectively. Conclusion. The pulp of cooked pequi presents a high energy value, as well as elevated contents of dietary fiber and lipids. It is a good source of vitamin C and an excellent source of vitamin A. The nutritional value and the wide availability of pequi make it an important tool for the reduction of food and nutritional insecurity.

Introduction. The fruits ofthe Brazilian Savannah have potential to improve the human diet,income generation and, consequently, the quality of life for sociallyvulnerable families. Among the native fruits of the Savannah, onethat stands out is the do cerrado-carotene, -cryptoxanthinand lycopene), vitamin E (, -tocopherols and tocotrienols)and folates (tetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate)were evaluated in pulp of do cerrado do cerrado100 g100 g100 g100 g100 gg1, respectively] were higherthan in other widely consumed fruits. Conclusion. The do cerradojatob is an important dietary alternative; thus, its consumptionshould be encouraged.

Feeding is indicative of the nutritional status of children, however micronutrient deficiency is common in this age group. We evaluated the impact of inclusion of rice (Ultra Rice^® (UR^®)) fortified with iron, zinc, thiamin and folic acid on laboratory measurements and the nutrient intake of children. Ninety-nine preschoolers (2–6 years; 42.6% male) from two preschools participated, one of which received UR^® added to polished rice as part of school meals (test preschool) and the other received only polished rice (control preschool). Biochemical evaluations were performed before and after four months of intervention. Feeding was assessed by direct weighing of food, complemented by 24-h recalls, and the diet was assessed by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) adapted to the Brazilian reality. The fortified rice improved the levels of zinc (p < 0.001), thiamine (p < 0.001), folic acid (p = 0.003), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (p < 0.001) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (p < 0.001). The inadequacy percentages of thiamine, folic acid and iron were lower among preschoolers from the test preschool. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of using UR^® on laboratory measurements of children. The inadequate intake of thiamine, folic acid and iron was also reduced, making the fortified rice an interesting strategy in school feeding programs.

Fruits is a scientific journal for original articles and reviews on fruit crops in temperate, Mediterranean, subtropical and tropical regions