Deciphering the nutritive and antioxidant properties of Malay cherry (Lepisanthes alata) fruit dominated by ripening effects

In this study, Malay cherry fruit were explored for the changes in their nutritive and phenolic compositions upon ripening (unripe and ripe stages). Nutritive compositions (sugars, proteins, and fats) of the fruit increased, whilst organic acids of the fruit decreased in ripe fruit. Twenty-eight non-anthocyanin phenolics of the fruit were identified by the high-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution-time of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-HR-TOF/MS(2)). Among them, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside and quercetin-3-O-glucoside are dominant species in the unripe fruit, and four more phenolics are shown in the ripe fruit. Additionally, seventeen anthocyanins were solely identified in the ripe fruit. This could be the signature phenolic profile of Malay cherry fruit. The total phenolics and total proanthocyanidins of the fruit significantly decreased upon ripening. Consistently, antioxidant capacities of the fruit also decreased upon ripening. Our results suggest unripe fruit are good sources of phenolic antioxidants that are worthwhile for utilisation as functional food sources.