Abstract
Sixteen wild fruits commonly consumed in northern Nigeria were assessed chemically for the presence of oxalate, phytate, saponin, and tannin. The highest level of oxalate was found in Zizyphus spina-christi, Zizyphus mauritiana and Balanite aegyptiaca(16.20±2.12%, 15.50±1.50% and 14.50±2.08%, respectively). Phytate was highest inSclerocarya birrea (3.56±0.54%) and Haematostaphis barteri (3.30±0.10%). B.aegyptiaca, Detarium microcarpum and Parkia biglobosa had the highest saponin values of 16.01±0.02, 12.10±0.05 and 12.23±0.46% respectively. While tannin was highest in B. aegyptiaca (7.40±0.14%), closely followed by Hyphaena thebaica(6.39±0.5%) and Borassus aethiopum (5.90±0.13%). Though these antinutrients can interfere with nutrients utilization when in high concentration, the values obtained for the fruits analysed were not up to the toxic levels of the antinutrients. Fruits such asVittaleria paradoxum, Adansonia digitata, Diospyros mespiliformis Phoenix dactylifera and young shoot of Bor. aethiopum are highly recommended for consumption as they contain low amount of the antinutrients analysed. Key words: Wild fruits, antinutrients, oxalate, phytate, saponins, and tannins.
Highlights
In Nigeria, wild fruits are commonly consumed by both rural and urban dwellers especially during the dry season when most cultivated fruits are out of season
Fruits of Adansonia digitata, Balanite aegyptiaca, Borassus aethiopum, Detarium microcarpum, Diospyros mespiliformis, Haematostaphis barteri, Hyphaena thebaica, Parkia biglobosa, Vitex doniana, Vittaleria paradoxum, Zizyphus mauritia, Nuclea latifolia, Phoenix dactylifera, Sclerocarya birrea, Zizyphus spinachristi and young shoot of Bor. aethiopum were collected in Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria between the month of April and May, 2005
According to Ladeji (2004), oxalate can bind to calcium present in food thereby rendering calcium unavailable for normal physiological and biochemical role such as the maintenance of strong bone, teeth, cofactor in enzymatic reaction, nerve impulse transmission and as clotting factor in the blood
Summary
Levels of antinutritional factors in some wild edible fruits of Northern Nigeria. Department of Biochemistry, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 2076 Yola, Adamawa State. Sixteen wild fruits commonly consumed in northern Nigeria were assessed chemically for the presence of oxalate, phytate, saponin, and tannin. While tannin was highest in B. aegyptiaca (7.40±0.14%), closely followed by Hyphaena thebaica (6.39±0.5%) and Borassus aethiopum (5.90±0.13%). Though these antinutrients can interfere with nutrients utilization when in high concentration, the values obtained for the fruits analysed were not up to the toxic levels of the antinutrients. Fruits such as Vittaleria paradoxum, Adansonia digitata, Diospyros mespiliformis Phoenix dactylifera and young shoot of Bor. aethiopum are highly recommended for consumption as they contain low amount of the antinutrients analysed
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