Tamarillo (Solanum betaceum): Chemical composition, biological properties, and product innovation

Publication date: Available online 9 November 2019Source: Trends in Food Science & TechnologyAuthor(s): Sunan Wang, Fan ZhuAbstractBackgroundTamarillo (Solanum betaceum) is native to South America and is cultivated in several other parts of the world for its valued fruit. The fruit has therapeutic and nutritional properties that can satisfy the demands from health-conscious consumers. There has been increasing interest in using tamarillo for consumption and food and non-food product formulations. Overall, tamarillo is an underutilized, sustainable fruit crop with great potential for value-added products..Scope and approachThis review summarizes the composition of nutritional components and biological properties of tamarillo. The chemical and biological properties of tamarillo are compared to those of common fruits and vegetables. Food and other uses of tamarillo are described. Innovative methods for the development of tamarillo-based products are suggested to maximize the potential of this fruit.Key findings and conclusionsTamarillo has a range of nutrients including dietary fibers, polyphenols, vitamins C, A, B6, and E, carotenoids, and potassium and iron. Health effects of tamarillo included antioxidative, antiproliferative, antinociceptive, antiinflammatory, allergenicity, and anti-obese properties. These health effects have been tentatively correlated to certain phytochemicals (e.g., non-starch polysaccharides, carotenoids, and anthocyanins). The properties of tamarillo-d...
Source: Trends in Food Science and Technology - Category: Food Science Source Type: research