CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Passiflora caerulea L. of the family Passifloraceae is a native species to Argentina. It has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment ofnervous disorders (anxiety, insomnia) but its nutritional proprieties need to be explored. It is known by the names of "Biricuyá", "Burucuyá", "Flor deCristo", "Flor de Pasión", "Flor de la Pasión", "Granadilla". P. caerulea has alternate, palmate, penta-lobed leaves like an open hand, 10?18 cm longand wide. The fruit is a yellowish orange oval berry 6 cm long by 4 cm in diameter, containing numerous seeds. In this work, the fruit of Passifloracaerulea was studied in terms of its bromatological characteristic for use in the food industry. Official methods of food analysis were used andpreviously optimized and validated techniques (AOAC 942.15/90 AOAC, 925.10; 945.39, 978.04?968.01, 962.09, 945.46, (AOAC 942.15/90;AOAC 10.041/84; AOAC 932.12/90). Proximal analysis of P. caerulea showed a moisture, ash, fiber, fat, protein, and carbohydrate content of52.43%, 0.75%, 3.5%, 0.18%, 1.78%, 41.36%, respectively, and its caloric value of 81.04 kcal/100g (calculated using Atwater factors of 4 kcal/g forproteins and carbohydrates and 9 kcal/g for fats). Also, the fruit was evaluated in its pH, acidity, total solids, and total sugars showing pH = 5.07, acidindex of 0.83 g citric acid/100 g, 5.09° Brix, and 9.67 g total sugars/100 g. The fruit of P. caerulea presented a high percentage of moisture, fiber,and protein but low fat content, values close to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) benchmarks. The energy value of the Passionflowerfruit seems to be influenced mainly by carbohydrates, which were its main macronutrients. The acid value was within the accepted range forconsumption and the pH value was of medium acidity, as proposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA, 2016). The values of total solids ofthe fruit of the Passion are related to the sweetness of it that proposes it as a fruit of good acceptance. The results obtained allow us to infer that thenative fruit of P. caerulea has an outstanding chemical and nutritional composition to be used in the food industry and in the development of newfood products. This will allow the preservation and revaluation of this regional fruit and consider it as an alternative in the diet of the population ofthe province of San Luis, allowing its inclusion in the Composition Tables of Argentine Foods.