Camu-camu, caçari, or araçá d'água (Myrciaria dubia (H.B.K.) McVaugh) is a shrub of the Myrtaceae family, dispersed through almost all the Amazonia. It is a typically wild species but with great economic and nutritional potential. However, few information on its mineral content is available in the literature. Considering the importance of these information for the human nutrition, and, objectiving to contribute in the elaboration of a Table of food composition the regional and national level, was determined the mineral elements in some populations of camu-camu, by neutron activation analysis. According to the results, the greater concentrations was verified in relation to the macro mineral elements potassium, with a variation of (62,6±0,4 to 144,1±8,3 mg%) and calcium (9,5±0,3 to 10,6±0,5 mg%). The concentration of sodium in the fruts was low (19,9±1,7µg%). The population Uatumã 9 presented greater concentrations of zinc (472,0±8,3µg%), molybdenum (6,2±0,6µg%) and chromium (19,9±1,7µg%) followed of the population Uatumã 24 for cobalt (2,4±28,7mg%). Therefore, camu-camu can contribute for reaching the recommendations of mineral elements intakes by the different human populations of the Amazon region.
camu-camu; minerals; neutron activation analysis
