Physicochemical composition of buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) and sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) fruit harvested in Saskatchewan, Canada

Abstract

Green, R. C. and Low, N. H. 2013. Physicochemical composition of buffaloberry ( Shepherdia argentea ), chokecherry ( Prunus virginiana ) and sea buckthorn ( Hippophae rhamnoides ) fruit harvested in Saskatchewan, Canada. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 1143–1153. There is increasing interest in the commercialization of native fruits for utilization as foods and medicinal extracts. This study was undertaken to determine the physicochemical properties of buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) and sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) fruit grown in Saskatchewan. The physicochemical analyses of samples of each of these fruits included carbohydrate content, CIELAB color values, organic acid composition, pH, percent seed weight, phenolic compound content, soluble solids content, total titratable acidity (TTA) and proximate composition (ash, fibre, lipid, moisture and protein). Buffaloberry was found to contain high TTA and was especially high in ascorbic acid at 209±37 mg 100 g−1 fruit, fresh weight basis. Chokecherry contained high levels of anthocyanin at 237±41 mg 100 g−1 fruit, fresh weight basis. The results of this study suggest all of these native fruits possess compounds important to the human diet.