Chen_2025_Foods_14_

Tamarillo (Solanum betaceum Cav.) is rich in polyphenols, anthocyanins, and carotenoids, making it a promising candidate for functional food development. This study investigated phytochemical profiles and bioactivities in different tamarillo parts. Various parts of tamarillo were extracted using water and ethanol (0-95%), with 95% ethanol yielding the highest content of bioactive compounds in the peel, pulp, mucilage, and whole fruit, while 75% ethanol was more effective for the seeds. Among tamarillo components, the peel exhibited the highest concentrations of hydroxycinnamoyl derivatives, anthocyanins, and carotenoids, along with superior antioxidant capacity, including strong scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals (EC(50), 45.26 microg extract/mL) and high reducing power (EC(50), 113.3 microg extract/mL). The peel extract exhibited the strongest inhibitory effects on alpha-glucosidase (IC(50), 1.623 mg/mL) and angiotensin-converting enzymes (IC(50), 1.435 mg/mL). In contrast, the pulp extract demonstrated the highest inhibitory activity against pancreatic lipase (IC(50), 0.882 mg/mL) and alpha-amylase (IC(50), 2.369 mg/mL). These findings suggest that tamarillo extracts possess potent antioxidant activity and enzyme-inhibitory properties related to metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, gastrointestinal digestion simulation influenced the bioactive compound content and bioactivities. Overall, tamarillo has promising potential as a functional ingredient for MetS prevention, but processing strategies are needed to retain its bioactive properties.