# Metabolomic Profile of Açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart., Euterpe precatoria Mart.), Mirití (Mauritia flexuosa L.), and Cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum (Wild. ex Spreng.) Schum) from Colombian Amazon: Insights into Nutritional Composition and Ripening Dynamics

## TL;DR

This study analyzed the chemical makeup of three Amazonian fruits from Colombia, revealing their rich nutritional and functional properties.

## Contribution

The study provides a detailed metabolomic profile of açaí, mirití, and cupuassu from the Colombian Amazon at different ripening stages.

## Key findings

- M. flexuosa pulp showed high concentrations of galacturonic acid.
- Flavonoids like fisetin and kaempferol-O-rutinoside were abundant in Euterpe species pulp.
- Quinic acid and mannitol were detected in unripe stages of Euterpe and Mauritia species.

## Abstract

Amazonian fruits are increasingly recognized for their functional properties due to their rich composition of bioactive metabolites. While species such as Euterpe oleracea Mart., Euterpe precatoria Mart., Mauritia flexuosa L., and Theobroma grandiflorum (Wild. ex Spreng.) have been extensively studied in countries like Brazil, research on these fruits in Colombia remains limited. This study aimed to characterize the secondary metabolites in freeze-dried pulp and seed samples of açaí, mirití, and cupuassu at different ripening stages, collected in Mitú (Vaupés, Colombia). Eleven samples of different fruits were collected and analyzed by untargeted metabolomics. Untargeted metabolomic profile was performed using LC-QTOF-MS and GC-QTOF-MS techniques. The pulp of M. flexuosa showed high concentrations of galacturonic acid. In T. grandiflorum, both pulp and seeds contained significant levels of galactose and citric acid. Notably, flavonoids such as fisetin and kaempferol-O-rutinoside were abundant in the pulp of E. oleracea and E. precatoria. Additionally, quinic acid and mannitol were detected in the unripe stages of Euterpe and Mauritia species. The diverse profile of secondary metabolites identified in these Colombian Amazonian fruits underscores their functional and nutritional potential. These findings support further exploration of native species for food, nutraceutical, and industrial applications, contributing to the valorization of Amazonian biodiversity.