Bioactive and functional properties of selected underutilized blue/purple colour fruits available in Sri Lanka: A review

Climatic changes and human activities have brought global food security to an unbalanced stage where poor-income communities face challenges in fulfilling their dietary requirements and healthy well-being. Functional foods play a key role in these situations and their popularity increases among communities. Blue/purple colour fruits hold a unique position due to their phytochemical profile and few species are available in Sri Lanka though many are underutilized despite their both nutritional and functional benefits. Many of these fruits are rarely seen in the market and are limited to rural areas and/or forests.  The review aims to summarize the available data related to bioactive compounds and functional properties of Dovyalis hebecarpa, Carissa Spinarum, Syzygium caryophyllatum L, Antidesma alexiteria, Polyalthia suberosa, and Ziziphus oenoplia, which are underutilized blue/purple fruits available in Sri Lankan soil. These fruits are evidenced to have many functional properties, which include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, etc. As main bioactive compounds, Anthocyanin Phenolic compounds, Flavonoids, carotenoids and ascorbic acids are evidenced in majority of the fruits and many other important compounds are found through studies. The facts highlight these fruits can use to ensure certain nutritional requirements and well-being of the local communities while adding positive feedback to food sustainability. The studies related to many blue/purple colour fruits are highly limited and suggest further studies in the fields of nutritional composition, health benefits, and genetic traits.