Radical scavenging and anti‐proliferative capacity of three freeze‐dried tropical fruits

Summary Tropical fruits are rich in antioxidant and anticancer phytochemicals, but their nutraceutical potential could be enhanced by drying technologies. Mango cv. Ataulfo , papaya cv. Maradol and pineapple cv. Esmeralda ripe pulps were freeze‐dried (−42 °C, 0.12 torr, 48 h) and their physicochemical and phytochemical profile, radical scavenging and antiproliferative capacity evaluated. The content of soluble solids, phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid was higher in mango (16.1 o Brix, 9.9 mg GAE per g and 9.6 mg g −1 ) than in papaya/pineapple, but the later had more flavonoids (0.45 ± 0.05 mg QE per g). A fruit‐specific phenolic profile was detected by HPLC ‐ ESI ‐ QTOF ‐ MS , being shikimic (mango), chlorogenic (papaya), and protocatechuic (pineapple) acids the most abundant. Mango was the strongest radical scavenger and showed antiproliferative capacity ( IC 50 , μg mL −1 ) in RAW 264.7 (100.7), HeLa (193.1) and L929 (138.5) cell lines. Papaya and pineapple extracts showed no antiproliferative activity. Freeze‐dried mango is a ready‐to‐eat functional food with better cancer preventing properties than papaya or pineapple.