In the lush, threatened Atlantic Forest, a rare jewel hangs from the trunks of slow-growing trees, waiting to be rediscovered.
Deep within the biodiversity hotspot of Brazil's Atlantic Forest, a forgotten treasure dangles directly from the trunk of a rare tree. This is the cambucá (Plinia edulis), a fruit so overlooked that even in its native habitat, it's considered a rare find. Known to indigenous Tupi communities as the "sucking fruit" for its ideal consumption method, this unique species represents both a threatened biocultural heritage and an untapped resource of nutritional and economic potential.
Until the mid-20th century, cambucá trees flourished along a vast stretch of coastal forest from Espírito Santo to Southern Paraná 5 . Today, due to rapid deforestation and the tree's slow growth—taking up to 12 years to bear fruit—the cambucá has become an unfamiliar sight even to locals 5 . As we explore the scientific journey to unravel this fruit's mysteries, we discover not just a delicious taste but a potential key to conservation through sustainable use.
Takes up to 12 years to bear fruit
Espírito Santo to Southern Paraná
Threatened due to deforestation
The first comprehensive scientific review of cambucá, published in 2025, confirms what indigenous communities have known for centuries: this fruit holds special properties worth preserving 1 . Researchers have discovered that different parts of the fruit and tree offer distinct benefits, with the leaves particularly rich in bioactive compounds like terpenoids and various phenolic substances 1 .
The fruit's sensory characteristics justify its cherished status among those familiar with it. Cambucá presents a complex composition of sugars, organic acids, and volatile compounds that create its unique sensory profile, often described as a delightful mix of mango and papaya with a sweet-sour balance 1 4 .
The edible pulp demonstrates high yield and serves as a valuable source of dietary fibers and essential minerals 1 . While the peel and seed fractions remain understudied, research has confirmed several biological properties in the pulp, including gastroprotective, antinociceptive, and chemopreventive activities that warrant further investigation 1 .
When compared to more common fruits, cambucá holds its own. Studies reveal that native Brazilian fruits like cambucá contain higher levels of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity than many commonly consumed fruits worldwide 2 . This nutritional profile positions cambucá as both a functional food and a potential ingredient in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries 1 .
To truly understand how scientists unravel the secrets of plants like cambucá, let's examine a detailed study that tracked the fruit's physicochemical changes throughout its development. This 2021 research provides a perfect case study in fruit characterization 7 .
The research team designed a straightforward yet revealing approach:
Fruits were harvested from Hexachlamys edulis plants (a synonym for Plinia edulis) at four distinct developmental stages—unripe, medium ripe, ripe, and overripe 7 .
Researchers measured fresh weight, dry weight, and dimensional changes as the fruits matured, tracking their growth patterns 7 .
Using specialized equipment including refractometers and colorimeters, the team quantified changes in soluble solids, acidity, pigment composition, and antioxidant activity throughout the ripening process 7 .
The results painted a fascinating picture of cambucá's transformation from unripe to overripe:
| Development Stage | Fresh Weight (g) | Soluble Solids/Acidity Ratio | Color Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unripe | 19.5 | 3.7–4.5 | All green skin |
| Medium Ripe | 40.1 | 4.5 | Green and yellow skin |
| Ripe | 39.6 | 4.5 | All yellow skin |
| Overripe | 38.5 | 7.3 | Yellow and brown skin |
The data reveals a remarkable weight doubling between unripe and medium ripe stages, followed by a plateau as the fruit reaches full maturity 7 . The soluble solids/acidity ratio shows a significant jump in overripe fruits, explaining the sweetness development that makes the fruit so palatable 7 .
| Development Stage | Total Polyphenols (mg/100g) | DPPH Radical Scavenging Activity (%) | Carotenoid Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unripe | 905.8 | 75.7% | Low |
| Medium Ripe | 426.2 | 64.1% | Increasing |
| Ripe | 130.4 | 17.0% | High |
| Overripe | Not reported | 17.0% | Highest |
Perhaps most intriguing was the discovery that unripe fruits contained substantially higher levels of polyphenols and demonstrated greater antioxidant activity than their ripe counterparts 7 . This suggests that different harvest times might be optimal depending on whether the goal is maximizing bioactive compounds or sensory qualities.
The pigment analysis revealed that chlorophyll b is the main chlorophyll in cambucá, while lutein emerged as the primary carotenoid, followed by β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene 7 . These compounds contribute both to the fruit's color and its nutritional value.
What does it take to characterize a little-known fruit like cambucá? Here's a look at the essential reagents and materials researchers use and their purposes:
| Reagent/Equipment | Function in Research |
|---|---|
| Folin-Ciocalteu reagent | Quantifies total phenolic compounds through colorimetric reaction |
| ABTS•+ (2,20-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) | Measures antioxidant capacity via radical scavenging assay |
| DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) | Assesses free radical scavenging activity of fruit compounds |
| Refractometer | Determines soluble solids content (indicator of sugar content) |
| HPLC (High-performance liquid chromatography) | Identifies and quantifies individual carotenoids and compounds |
| Colorimeter | Objectively measures color changes during fruit development |
These tools allow scientists to move beyond subjective descriptions to quantifiable, reproducible data that can reveal a fruit's hidden properties and potential applications 2 7 .
The research on cambucá represents more than academic curiosity—it's a conservation strategy for a threatened species. As the 2025 review emphasizes, understanding the agrotechnological potential of P. edulis can guide the development of sustainable agroproductive chains that simultaneously ensure the species' valorization and conservation 1 .
The slow growth of cambucá trees, combined with the rapid reduction of Atlantic Forest areas, creates a conservation challenge that requires urgent attention 5 . Currently, research has primarily focused on the leaves and pulp, leaving the peel and seed fractions largely unexplored 1 . These understudied components may hold additional keys to unlocking the fruit's full potential.
Patent documents have already proposed various uses for cambucá, suggesting that commercial applications could provide the economic incentive needed to encourage cultivation and preservation 1 . This approach aligns with global efforts to promote food system diversity and incorporate underutilized species into our diets to address nutritional insecurity 7 .
The story of cambucá represents both a warning and an opportunity.
It highlights how easily biological and cultural treasures can fade into obscurity, while simultaneously demonstrating science's power to restore value to what was nearly lost. As researchers continue to decode the complex chemistry of this unique fruit, they write a new chapter in the relationship between people and a forgotten part of their natural heritage.
The journey of cambucá from obscurity to recognition mirrors that of many other neglected and underutilized species that hold potential to address contemporary challenges in nutrition, health, and biodiversity conservation 7 . As one research team noted, the levels of polyphenols and pigments together with antioxidant activity allow us to consider cambucá fruit as a promising functional food 7 .
In the face of climate change and biodiversity loss, the scientific characterization of species like cambucá transforms them from simple fruits into symbols of resilience, reminding us that sometimes preserving the future means rediscovering the treasures we nearly left in the past.