Influence of maturation and post-harvest drying on bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties of Flacourtia indica (Burm. F.) Merr.

Flacourtia indica (Burm. f.) Merr. is an indigenous fruit widely distributed in Asia and Africa with potential for health product development. This study investigated the effects of ripening stages and drying methods on amino acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity in F. indica , which have not been reported. Hot air-drying at 40 °C yielded the highest total amino acid content (1484.95 μg/100 g dry basis), mainly isoleucine, leucine, and valine. Unripe fruits dried at 40 °C exhibited the highest total phenolic acid content (716.18 μg/g dry basis), with caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid as predominant compounds. The major flavonoids detected were myricetin, kaempferol, and apigenin. Unripe fruits showed the highest antioxidant activity based on DPPH (5.95 mg AA/g db) and FRAP (50.52 mg FeSO₄/g db) assays. Heatmap and hierarchical clustering revealed clear correlations among amino acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity, particularly in low-temperature dried samples.