BOTÂNICA E FISIOLOGIA/ BOTANY AND PHYSIOLOGY ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN ‘CUERNAVAQUEÑA’ MEXICAN PLUM (Spondias purpurea L.) AT DIFFERENT RIPENING STAGES

ABSTRACT Mexican plum (Spondias purpurea L.) ‘Cuernavaqueña’ was harvested at four ripening stages, with the aim of evaluating the concentration of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity in the pulp and the epicarp. The highest ethylene production (9.43 mL kg h-1) and total soluble solids concentration (23.9 °Brix) was observed in the fully ripe stage. Titratable acidity was higher in green stage compared to other analyzed ripening stages in both pulp (0.48 %) and epicarp (0.32 %). Fully ripe plum epicarp presented the highest content of total phenols (GAE 190 mg g-1), flavonoids (QE 214 mg g-1), and carotenoids (853 mg g-1) compared to other ripening stages. The antioxidant capacity was higher in the epicarp of the fully ripe fruit compared to the other ripening stages: DPPH (1087 µM TE /100 g), ABTS (1534 µM TE/100 g), and FRAP (1764 µM TE/100 g). Significant correlations (r = 0.60 *** to 0.95 **) between bioactive compounds concentrations and antioxidant activity were obtained.