, located in Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil. The fruits were grown by organic and conventional farming in the same geographic region (Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil) under the same climatic conditions and were collected randomly during the harvest season of each fruit throughout 2007. The organic

fruits had a certificate issued by the Motika Okada Certification (CMO) service. The fruits were harvested in the partially ripe stage (stage of commercialisation) and properly stored MEK inhibitor drugs in cardboard boxes protected against shock. The fruits were transported overland and arrived at the Laboratory of Vitamin Analysis, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil, within 48 h post-harvest. A completely randomised design consisting of two treatments (organic and conventional production system) and six repetitions Dinaciclib chemical structure per treatment was used. The samples were collected randomly during the harvest season of each fruit. The organic and conventional fruits were collected in such

a way to obtain six different repetitions. The production area was divided into six small plots. In each plot, 2 kg of persimmons and 1 kg of acerola and strawberries produced by organic and conventional farming were collected. The six repetitions were sent to the laboratory in a single step, corresponding to 12 kg of persimmons and 6 kg of acerola and strawberries per treatment. After receiving the fruits, each repetition was subdivided into two parts for sample preparation. One half was used for analysis of vitamin C on the same day and was therefore stored

at room temperature. The other half was stored in a refrigerator at approximately 10 °C for sample preparation and analysis of carotenoids on the next day. Persimmons, acerola and strawberries were washed under running water and the non-edible parts (acerola seeds and leaves of persimmon and strawberry) were removed. The fruits were then chopped and homogenised in a multi-purpose food processor for 5 min until complete homogenisation of the sample, thus guaranteeing more reliable sampling. This procedure was performed six times for Edoxaban each treatment (organic and conventional farming). Vitamin C was extracted from the fruits according to the method of Campos et al. (2009). The previously homogenised sample was weighed (about 1 g) and 15 ml extraction solution (3% metaphosphoric acid, 8% acetic acid, 0.3 N sulfuric acid and 1 mM EDTA) was added. Next, the sample was triturated in a micro-homogenizer for 5 min and vacuum filtered through filter paper. The filtrate was diluted in ultrapure water until a volume of 25 ml in a volume balloon and centrifuged at 1789g for 15 min. The supernatant was stored in a refrigerator at about 5 °C until the time for chromatographic analysis. Carotenoids were extracted as described by Rodriguez-Amaya, Raymundo, Lee, Simpson, and Chichester (1976), with some modifications.