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The present study seeks to increase the knowledge of the chemical and nutritional characteristics of the species in the Caatinga (semi-arid region from northeastern Brazil) and quantify total anthocyanins, flavonols and carotenoids that are in the native food resources. Nine species were selected from ethnobotanical survey conducted in two rural communities in northeastern Brazil. The study revealed the potential of various food plants in the Caatinga, especially in comparison to other wild species of the same genus that have been investigated in other studies. The following species are of interest for future studies on bioactive substances: Eugenia sp. and Sideroxylon obtusifolium. It is interesting to investigate the potential agroindustry of the latter species, along with Syagrus cearensis and Ziziphus joazeiro. Nevertheless, the most immediate impact of this study may be to improve the populations’ use of species such as S. cearensis, S. obtusifolium, and Eugenia sp., which have elevated nutritional potential and could be used in programs to improve the quality of food among the rural population. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.