Passiflora cincinnata Mast. : uma revisão sobre os aspectos do fruto de interesse para a indústria de alimentos

Abstract

The fruit of Passiflora cincinnata Mast. remains commercially underutilized. Despite its wide geographical distribution, especially in the Caatinga and Cerrado, the species remains underexplored, being mostly consumed fresh. The scarcity of consolidated information about P. cincinnata in the scientific literature, combined with the confusion generated by the attribution of the same common names to different species of the genus Passiflora, hinders its proper characterization and limits its industrial use. Given this scenario, this review aimed to gather and critically analyze the available data on the physicochemical, nutritional, and bioactive characteristics of P. cincinnata fruits, as well as their possible applications in the food industry. To this end, a comprehensive literature review was conducted using the Scopus and Google Scholar databases. The pulp is highly acidic (pH < 3.0), with moderate soluble solids (>11 °Brix) and low levels of minerals and reducing sugars (<2%). On the other hand, it presents high levels of citric acid (6.85 g/100g) and ascorbic acid (13–23 mg/100g), in addition to a phytochemical profile rich in phenolics, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, which vary according to the origin and ripeness of the fruit. These bioactive compounds confer antioxidant properties linked to the prevention of chronic diseases. The pulp is traditionally used in juices, sweets, and desserts, but it is also being explored in fermented beverages and craft beers, as well as frozen pulps for off-season commercialization. The peel, with a light green color and dark green stripes, is rich in carbohydrates, fibers, pectin, and bioactive compounds, such as vitamin C (28.07 mg/100g) and phenolics (19.94 mg GAE/100g). It has a high antioxidant capacity (87.07% DPPH inhibition), hypolipidemic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging actions, attributed to the presence of flavonoids such as orientin and vitexin. The seeds stand out for their nutritional value, being more studied than the husk. In their natural state, they have a high moisture content (63.09%) and low levels of lipids (6.66%) and sugars (1 g/100g), but when dehydrated, they concentrate carbohydrates (up to 76.66%), lipids (up to 24%), and proteins (up to 9.3%). The seed oil is rich in linoleic acid (~75%) and exhibits high antioxidant activity (77.52%), in addition to vitamin C (7.28 mg/100g) and phenolics (17.12 mg GAE/100g). Studies also reveal antibacterial and antiparasitic effects, as well as synergy with antibiotics, indicating pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food applications. Despite the industrial potential of the species, there is a lack of data on the centesimal composition of carbohydrates, fibers, and lipids, as well as more detailed studies on the phytochemicals of passion fruit by-products (peel and seeds). It is also necessary to investigate the impact of pre-treatments on the pulp composition. Thus, new studies are essential to expand the industrial utilization of P. cincinnata.