Coccinia grandis: compostos bioativos e aceitação sensorial em formulações de molhos

Abstract

Unconventional Food Plants (UFP) have gained prominence due to their nutritional potential and wide availability in natural environments. Among these species, Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt, known as wild cucumber and belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, stands out. Although its vegetative parts are traditionally used for medicinal purposes, the fruits remain underexplored, particularly regarding their nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, and culinary applications. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional, chemical, and biological properties of C. grandis fruits at two maturity stages (green and red ripe), as well as to investigate their applicability in food formulations. For the biochemical analyses, two types of extracts were prepared, maceration and ultrasound-assisted extraction, to compare their efficiency. The analyses revealed the fruits high nutritional value, highlighting carbohydrate content (average 98.1 g/100 g dry matter), minerals such as iron and potassium, and bioactive compounds. Succinic acid was the main organic acid identified, recognized for its essential role in cellular energy production. Green fruits exhibited higher concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids and α-tocopherol, whereas red ripe fruits were distinguished by their higher levels of carotenoids and flavonoids. Both maturity stages demonstrated antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Ultrasound-assisted extraction proved more efficient in obtaining phenolic compounds compared to maceration. In both stages, 14 phenolic acids and 9 glycosylated flavonoids were identified, notably quercetin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, and rutin. Formulations of ketchup- and tartar-type sauces showed good sensory acceptance, with an average score of 7.3 on a 9-point hedonic scale (1 = “disliked very much” and 9 = “liked very much”), demonstrating the fruit’s potential for functional food development. The choice of these sauces is justified by their widespread consumption and the opportunity to utilize the fruit at different maturation stages: the mature fruit, sweeter and with an intense red color, and the green fruit, firmer in texture, ideal for preparations such as tartar sauce. The results reinforce the potential of C. grandis as an alternative source of nutrients and bioactive compounds, contributing to food diversification and the valorization of underutilized plant species.