Work

Nutritional, Elemental and Toxicity Assessment of Three Tropical Fruits’ Pulps and Seeds

Year: 2025

Type: conference-paper

Abstract: The African tropical fruits velvet tamarind, African locust beans and baobab are used as foods and for medicinal purposes, and they are important nutrient and bioactive compound sources.This research focused on the nutritional composition and bioactive compounds in the fruit pulps and seeds of these plant species.Quantification and profiling of sugars, organic acids and phenolic compounds (HPLC), soluble and insoluble fibre content analysis (enzymatic method) and elemental analysis (XRF) were performed.The total phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity contents (spectrophotometry) and fatty acids quantification profiles (GC) were also accessed.Several bioactive compounds were quantified.Generally, fruit pulps are richer in sugars and organic acids, and seeds are richer in protein and fat.

DOI: 10.3390/blsf2024040022

Authors: Maria M. Lageiro, Jaime Fernandes, Ana C. Marques, Andreia Soares, Ana M. C. Partidário, Ana R. F. Coelho

Institutions: Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, GeoBioTec - Geobiociências Geotecnologias e Geo-engenharias, Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Language: English

Topic: Food and Agricultural Sciences

Subfield: Food Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Funders: Instituto Nacional de investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Awards: G1841445896, GeoBioCiências, GeoTecnologias e GeoEngenharias, G585613321, G6997658380