The flavonoids comprise a class of natural pigments that are frequently found in vegetables. The anthocyanins and flavonols are compounds which belong to the flavonoids group and they are responsible for red to violet and white to light-yellow coloration, respectively. The anthocyanins pigments are responsible for the red colour of the acerola fruit. However, the seed propagation of acerola trees has grown fruits which present colour variation from yellow to dark red. So, there is interest to spread acerola trees with red colour fruits. This paper aimed to determine the content of total anthocyanins and flavonols in selections of acerola - Barbados, Coopama, Flor Branca, Inada, Miró e Okinawa. Fruits were harvested based on homogeneous red colour, between the months of March and June/1999, and analysed with regard to the content of total anthocyanins and flavonols. Inada and Barbados selections presented the highest contents of these pigments when compared to those selections what could be of agronomical interest.
west; Indian cherry; Malpighia sp; anthocyanins; flavonols
