Nutritional Characterization of Strychnos madagascariensis Fruit Flour Produced by Mozambican Communities and Evaluation of Its Contribution to Nutrient Adequacy.

Sandra S I Chemane,Olívia Pinho,Agostinho Almeida,Maida Khan,Mafalda Ribeiro,Isabel M P L V O Ferreira Ferreira,Susana Casal,Susana C M Pinho,Olga Viegas,Edgar Pinto,Zita Sá Martins

doi:10.3390/foods11040616

Abstract

The indigenous fruit Strychnos madagascariensis is usually processed to flour, called nfuma, being highly consumed during staple food shortage. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional composition of nfuma and its nutrient adequacy. Flours from four districts of Mozambique were analyzed using AOAC methods for proximate composition, HPLC for sugar, amino acids (AA), vitamin E and carotenoids and ICP-MS and FAAS for minerals. The results showed that nfuma stands out for its high content of fat (26.3–27.8%), mainly oleic acid, fiber (>6%), vitamin E (6.7 to 8.0 mg/100 g) and carotenes (2.2 to 2.6 mg/100 g). The main amino acids of nfuma protein were Arg, Asp and Glu, and Lys was the limiting one. The mineral composition reveals K (~1200 to 1700 mg/100 g) as the main macromineral followed by Mg > Ca > Na. The main trace element was Mn (~4 mg/100 g) followed by Fe > Zn > Cu > Cr > Co. Aluminum (~3 mg/100 g) was the main non-essential element and Rb, Ni, Sr, Ba, V, Cd were also quantified. Assuming the daily consumption of 50 g, nfuma provides 82% of Vitamin A dietary reference value for toddlers, while the consumption of 100 g contributes to 132% and 60% of Mn and vitamin A DRV for adults, respectively. Despite the nutritional advantages of nfuma, this flour can be a source of Ni, highlighting the importance of the study of good practices in its preparation to decrease the exposure to non-essential elements.

Highlights

The increase in knowledge about the protective role of fruits and vegetables has led to an increase in campaigns to promote their consumption for better health
Compared to commercial fruit flours, it presented a higher content than coconut flour (3.8%), but lower than grape
This research aimed to determine the nutritional composition of nfuma, a flour from

Summary

Introduction

The increase in knowledge about the protective role of fruits and vegetables has led to an increase in campaigns to promote their consumption for better health. Indigenous fruits have been receiving considerable attention from the scientific community as they can be important contributors to the diet of people in developing countries, reducing nutritional deficiencies and food insecurity, as well as improving the health and economic status of those populations [2,3]. They can be exploited by the agro-industry and become a source of income for local communities in the future [4,5]. In African countries, indigenous fruits are still underutilized, while several communities are food insecure and, malnourished [5,6,7,8]

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