The custard apple fruit (Annona reticulata L.) is distinguished not only by its pleasant flavor and high nutritional value, but also by the presence of bioactive compounds in its pulp, particularly antioxidants, which may provide health benefits when consumed. However, in Nayarit this plant material is found in the wild, without agronomic management or conservation programs. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to evaluate several antioxidants in the pulp of custard apple fruits. Fruits were collected from four localities in Tepic, Nayarit (Jicote, Trapichillo, 14 de Marzo, and Tepic). Total phenolics, flavonoids, vitamin C, carotenoids, and antioxidant capacity by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP were quantified. The pulp of the fruits from Tepic and Trapichillo showed the highest phenolic content (254–321 mg AGE/100 g FW), and fruits from Trapichillo also exhibited higher flavonoid levels (1267 mg QE/100 g FW). The pulp of Trapichillo fruits presented the highest antioxidant capacity by the ABTS method, as well as the pulp of Jicote and Trapichillo fruits by the FRAP method. Vitamin C and carotenoids were found in all pulps analyzed; however, no significant differences were observed among fruits from the different localities. In conclusion, antioxidants were detected in the pulp of custard apple fruits collected in Tepic, Nayarit, suggesting that their consumption could be beneficial and that the fruit has significant potential for industrial applications in the medical and food sectors, from the extraction of bioactive compounds, in the manufacture of medicines and in the production of functional foods.
Pérez-Flores et al. (Thu,) studied this question.