For total pulp carotenoids assessment, pulp was extracted and concentrations were determined using a modification of the
method described by de Carvalho et al. (2012). Fifteen g of the sample was homogenized with 25 mL of acetone to obtain a paste, which was transferred into a 500 mL separatory funnel containing 40 mL of petroleum ether. The acetone was removed through the slow addition of ultrapure water (Milli-Q – Millipore) to prevent emulsion formation. The aqueous phase was discarded. This procedure was repeated two times until no residual solvent remained. Then, the extract was transferred through a funnel to a 50 mL volumetric flask containing 15 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate. The volume was made up by petroleum ether, and the samples were read at 450 nm. The total carotenoid content was calculated using the following formula