Abstract
Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) Benth commonly called néré in French-speaking Africa is a semi-domesticated indigenous tree with a multi-purpose and highly appreciated use. Its pod-shaped fruits contain a yellowish floury pulp, eaten raw or used to make drinks, couscous and for raw or cooked dough. The objective of this study was to determine the profiles of minerals (Fe, K, Mg, Zn, Ca), beta-carotene, protein, ash, lipid and total sugar content as well as pH and acidity of the pulps from three ecoregions of Burkina Faso. The results showed quantitative difference in the composition of Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) Benth pulp from the different ecoregions. Pulp from tree of South Sahelian zone contained the highest concentration of beta-carotene and carbohydrates (530.52±68.11 µg/100g; 64.96±8.9% DW, respectively). Whereas, the North Sudanian zone exceeded the others ecoregion in terms of K (3 301.25±872.85 mg/100 g DW); Mg (257.63±90.15 mg/100 g DW); Zn (1.28±0.37 mg/100 g DW); Ca (519.41±591.13 mg/100g DW) and protein (3.76±0.39 g/100 g DW). The South Sudanian zone displays the highest content in Fe (1.92±1.37 mg/100 g DW). As for the equivalent citric acid quantified in this study, the North Sudanian zone had the highest concentrations (0.96 ± 0.18 g/100 g DW) in the pulp. The observed variation has implications regarding the use of these data in food and nutrition programs, and in selecting sources of planting material for reforestation initiatives and agroforestry systems. Key words: Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) Benth pulp, nutritional composition, physicochemical characteristics, ecoregions.
Highlights
Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) Benth., locally called Néré, is a valuable multipurpose tree species found in the Sudanese savannahs, providing food, medicines and fodder for local inhabitants (Teklehaimanot, 2004)
The pH values reported in the present study were higher than those (4.2) reported by Dahouenon-Ahoussi et al (2012) on P. biglobosa pulp samples taken from markets in Benin
There was a significant difference between samples from the South Soudanian Ecoregion (SSuE) and those from the other two zones (P-value< 0.05), the values in the samples from the South Sahelian Ecoregion (SSE) and North Soudanian Ecoregion (NSuE) were not significantly different
Summary
Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) Benth., locally called Néré, is a valuable multipurpose tree species found in the Sudanese savannahs, providing food, medicines and fodder for local inhabitants (Teklehaimanot, 2004). The tree is normally spared from cutting, when the land is cleared for agriculture (Thiombiano et al, 2013). One of the aspects for which P. biglobosa is appreciated is the high nutritional content of its fruits (pods). The edible parts of the pods (pulp and seeds) are used as ingredients in different foods and are subjects of study aimed at improving the nutritional quality of derived products. The seeds of P. biglobosa have received most attention in study on nutrition and on modalities of consumption, as they are used to produce a highly appreciated and widely consumed alkaline fermented condiment, known as ‘soumbala’ or ‘dawadawa’, according to the local terminology (Ouoba et al, 2004). Several of the studies have been carried out to characterize the chemical composition of the pulp
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