Increasing evidence shows the importance of these micronutrients for human health (Obon et al., 2011 and Rufino et al., 2010). Diets rich in phytochemicals, such as carotenoids and phenolic compounds, have been associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as certain types of cancer, inflammation, cardiovascular, cataracts, macular degeneration and neurodegenerative diseases (Bueno et al., 2012, Sergent et al., 2010, Snyder et al., 2011 and Tanaka et al., 2012). Tropical fruit consumption is increasing on domestic and international markets due to growing recognition of its nutritional and therapeutic value. Brazil boasts

a large number of underexploited native and exotic fruit species of potential interest to the agro-industry and a possible future Ku-0059436 source of income for the local population. These fruits represent an opportunity for local growers to gain access to special markets where consumers lay emphasis on exotic character and the presence of nutrients capable of preventing degenerative diseases (Alves, Brito, Rufino, & Sampaio, 2008). In addition, there is the potential use of these tropical fruit pulps and their by-products to isolate specific phytochemicals for application in nutraceutical supplements,

dietary additives, new food and pharmaceutical products, contributing to the recovery of agro-industrial process waste, with major industrial, economic and environmental impact (Ayala-Zavala et al., 2011). Therefore, Selleckchem Fasudil the identification and quantification of phytochemicals in pulps and by-products of tropical fruits are of utmost importance to substantiate their potential health benefits in human nutrition. Brazil is third in production of fresh and processed fruits worldwide, followed by China and India (FAO., 2009). For tropical

Fenbendazole fruits, Brazil is considered the major producer in the world; with 47% of its production used in the fresh fruit market and 53% in processing (IBRAF., 2009). The fruits included in this study play an important economic role, either in the international market or locally in certain countries of tropical America. More specifically, these fruits are harvested and processed for further commercialization in the Northeast region of Brazil. The mass of by-products obtained as a result of processing tropical crops may approach or even exceed that of the corresponding valuable product affecting the economics of growing tropical crops (Miljkovic & Bignami, 2002). For instance, by-products resulting from the processing of papaya, pineapple and mango represent approximately 10–60% of fruit weight (Ayala-Zavala, Rosas-Dominguez, Vega-Vega, & Gonzalez-Aguilar, 2010). By-products of fruits are made up of peels, rinds, seeds, and unused flesh that are generated by different steps of the industrial process and normally have no further usage and are commonly wasted or discarded (Ajila, Bhat, & Rao, 2007).