Composición química y nutricional de la Uva camarona: un arándano endémico de alta montaña

Ericaceae is a large family of flowering plants whose fruits are known for their high content of antioxidants. Among these are the species of Cavendishia, one of the largest neotropical endemic genera that occurs in the cool montane forests and in the paramo ecosystem where they have evolved chemical adaptations to the conditions of the montane regions [1]. Although fruits of Cavendishiaare frequently consumed by rural people in Colombia [2], there are few studies about their chemical and nutritional properties [3]. The nutritional value of C. nitidafruits, bioactive compounds and its antioxidant activity was measured. For the leaves its antioxidant activity and the chemical composition was measured. The results indicate that the fruit of C. nitidacould be classified as a potentially edible fruit providing added value to the productive chain associated with the consumption of native Colombian fruits. The leaves and fruits confirm the presence of flavonoids, anthocyanidins, tannins and terpenes, being the leaves the ones that exhibited strong antioxidant activity with the two radicals tested (DPPH•and ABTS•+).