EXPLORING THE NUTRITIONAL AND MINERAL COMPOSITIONS OF BAOBAB (Adansonia digitata L) FRUIT PULP AND SEED

S Mamman,B S Shuaibu,J A Yusuf

doi:10.33003/fjs-2021-0501-604

Abstract

This research presents the proximate and elemental compositions of Baobab fruit (Adansonia digitata L.) The proximate analysis gives the composition of the biomass in terms of gross components such as moisture, volatile matter, ash and fixed carbon. In this study, the proximate composition was determined using standard methods (AOAC) while the mineral content was analysed with the aid of an Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and Flame Photometry. Minerals are micronutrients that occur in foods in minute amounts but are very essential for body metabolism. The results revealed that Baobab seed and pulp are rich in crude protein, fat, carbohydrate and total ash contents. The high amount of total ash (3.15 0.05 %) and (4.65 0.55 %) present in the seed and pulp respectively suggests that they both possess high level of inorganic matter; thus, having high amount of minerals. The study also shows that Baoba seed and pulp have high economic value and are good and cheap sources of mineral element such as calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, copper and zinc. For these reasons, they can be incorporated into food supplements for both humans and animals, also could have industrial applications

Highlights

Majority of sub- Saharan African countries including Nigeria are faced with food shortages
African baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) is a common, multifunctional tree native to West Africa's arid and semiArid regions (Asogwa et al, 2021). It is the most widely spread of the Adansonia species on the African continent which belongs to the family of Bombacaceae a sub family of the Malvaceae (John et al, 2021) (Abeer et al, 2020)
It has been reported that every part of the baobab tree is useful, the leaves, roots, flowers, fruit pulp, seeds and bark of baobab are edible

Summary

Introduction

Majority of sub- Saharan African countries including Nigeria are faced with food shortages. African baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) is a common, multifunctional tree native to West Africa's arid and semiArid regions (Asogwa et al, 2021). It is the most widely spread of the Adansonia species on the African continent which belongs to the family of Bombacaceae a sub family of the Malvaceae (John et al, 2021) (Abeer et al, 2020). Baobab trees are extensively propagated in Africa and the consumption of baobab fruit pulp in different forms has been going on for quite a long time, the knowledge about the nutritional value and the composition of the seed is scarce and the importance of the tree remains unappreciated. Due to its nutritional and health claims, baobab fruit pulp and seed has a good potential to become another innovative healthcare product

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