Buchanania obovata: Functionality and Phytochemical Profiling of the Australian Native Green Plum.

Selina Fyfe,Michael Netzel,Yasmina Sultanbawa,Gabriele Netzel

doi:10.3390/foods7050071

Selina Fyfe, Michael Netzel + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/foods7050071

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Abstract

The green plum is the fruit of Buchanania obovata Engl. and is an Australian Indigenous bush food. Very little study has been done on the green plum, so this is an initial screening study of the functional properties and phytochemical profile found in the flesh and seed. The flesh was shown to have antimicrobial properties effective against gram negative (Escherichia coli 9001—NCTC) and gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus 6571—NCTC) bacteria. Scanning electron microscopy analysis shows that the antimicrobial activity causes cell wall disintegration and cytoplasmic leakage in both bacteria. Antioxidant 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) testing shows the flesh has high radical scavenging activity (106.3 ± 28.6 μM Trolox equivalant/g Dry Weight in methanol). The flesh and seed contain a range of polyphenols including gallic acid, ellagic acid, p-coumaric acid, kaempferol, quercetin and trans-ferulic acid that may be responsible for this activity. The seed is eaten as a bush food and contains a delphinidin-based anthocyanin. The green plum has potential as a functional ingredient in food products for its antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, and further investigation into its bioactivity, chemical composition and potential applications in different food products is warranted.

Highlights

Buchanania obovata Engl. is a native Australian tree that grows in the northern parts of Australia in Western Australia and the Northern Territory [1]
It produces a small green fruit known as the green plum which is eaten by Indigenous Australians
The green plum was selected to be in this study because it is commonly eaten as a food and parts of the tree are used as bush medicine by Australian Aboriginal people

Summary

Introduction

Buchanania obovata Engl. is a native Australian tree that grows in the northern parts of Australia in Western Australia and the Northern Territory [1]. Is a native Australian tree that grows in the northern parts of Australia in Western Australia and the Northern Territory [1]. It produces a small green fruit known as the green plum which is eaten by Indigenous Australians. As a food it is eaten straight from the tree or with the flesh and seeds mashed into a paste, and is a favourite with children [2,3]. The B. obovata plant is in the family Anacardiaceae, which contains the mango (Mangifera indica), cashew apple (Anacardium occidentale) and pistachio nut (Pistacia vera) [4]. Young stems, and the inner bark from young branches and older stems are used as bush medicine for their antiseptic and analgesic qualities to treat toothache, skin conditions and infections, and as an eye lotion [5,6]

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