Nutritional Profile and Physicochemical Properties of Improved Apple (Malus domestica L.) Varieties in Ethiopia

Abstract

Because of its significant advantage for many households including youth different areas like job creation, medicinal property, nutritional worth, income generate, conservation of soil and the environment, apple appears to be one of the potential and strategic fruit crops in the highlands of the country. This research was, therefore, conducted to test nutritional profile and selected physicochemical properties of different apple varieties in Ethiopia. The experiment was carried out at Holeta agricultural research of the EIAR using 13 improved apple varieties planted in the field. The results showed that fruits of improved apple varieties had greater amount of ash (1.645%), protein (2.049%), fat (0.407%) and fiber (6.136%) than the standard reference (0.366, 0.443, 0.223, and 2.786%, respectively) but, lower carbohydrate content and energy value (89.757, and 370.90% respectively). They also exhibited higher mineral content (K (0.444%), Mg (0.024%), Fe (62.964%) and Zn (4.081%)) than the standard reference (0.120, 0.005, 1.600, and 0.447%, respectively), except for Ca (0.015%) while the fruit quality result revealed low moisture content and high titrable acidity (TA) (1.177%) and total soluble solid (TSS) content(13.333%). Nevertheless, variations among the thirteen apple varieties were significant for proximate composition and mineral content as well as for moisture content, total soluble solid and titrable acidity. The study also showed that the improved apple varieties fit the WHO standard nutritional quality of proximate and mineral values, but not for carbohydrate and calcium contents.