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An Amazonian fruit with a high potential as a natural source of vitamin C: the camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2002

Roberta B. Rodrigues ,
Hilary C. De Menezes ,
Lourdes M.C. Cabral ,
Manuel Dornier  and
Max Reynes
Roberta B. Rodrigues
Affiliation:
University of Campinas, Food Technology Dept. (FEA / Unicamp), Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, C.P. 6121, 13083-970 Campinas, S.P., Brazil
Hilary C. De Menezes
Affiliation:
University of Campinas, Food Technology Dept. (FEA / Unicamp), Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, C.P. 6121, 13083-970 Campinas, S.P., Brazil
Lourdes M.C. Cabral
Affiliation:
Embrapa, Agroindustria de Alimentos, Av. das Américas, 29501 Guaratiba, 23020-470 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Manuel Dornier
Affiliation:
Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement, Cirad-flhor, Av. Agropolis, TA 50/PS4, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France École nationale supérieure des Industries alimentaires, Tropical Food Dept. (Ensia-Siarc), BP 5098, 34033 Montpellier Cedex 1, France
Max Reynes
Affiliation:
Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement, Cirad-flhor, Av. Agropolis, TA 50/PS4, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France École nationale supérieure des Industries alimentaires, Tropical Food Dept. (Ensia-Siarc), BP 5098, 34033 Montpellier Cedex 1, France
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Abstract

The plant. The camu-camu [Myrciaria dubia (H.B.K.) Mc. Vaugh] is a shrub from the Myrtaceae family. It grows naturally in floodable and swampy areas of the Amazonian basin. This plant is cultivated in Peru and Brazil with fruit yields ranging from (12 to 20) t × ha-1 × year-1. The fruit. The fruit, from (1 to 3) cm in diameter, is pink to dark purple; it is the highest known source of natural vitamin C, providing (850 to 5,000) mg mg × 100 g-1 edible portion. The market. In the last few years, both national and international demand for the camu-camu fruit has drastically increased for the production of health food or of natural vitamin C. The current fruit production is not sufficient to satisfy the market. Conclusion.M. dubia stands out amongst other Amazonian fruit species as having a high economic and social potential. Little information is available on its processing, showing the need for research in this area.

Keywords

AmazoniaBrazilPeruMyrciaria dubiataxonomybotanygeographical distributioncultivationchemical compositionascorbic acidmarketsprocessingAmazonieBrésilPérouMyrciaria dubiataxonomiebotaniquedistribution geographiquepratique culturalecomposition chimiqueacide ascorbiquemarchétraitement
Type
Research Article
Information
Fruits , Volume 56 , Issue 5 , September 2001 , pp. 345 - 354
Copyright
© CIRAD, EDP Sciences

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