Abstract
Dried fruits are an excellent alternative to unhealthy snacks. Twelve commercially available dried fruits were selected: dates, raisins, prunes, Goji berry, chokeberry, rose hip, sea buckthorn, berberis, physalis, haritaki, noni and juniper. The nutritional value in terms of moisture, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, energy value, mineral composition, antioxidant activity and tannins was compared. It is a novelty in the literature in relation to the particular analytes (e.g., minerals, tannins) and/or fruits (e.g., berberis, noni, haritaki). Especially rich in protein were Goji berry (13.3%), sea buckthorn (9.3%), noni (8.9%) and physalis (8.0%); in fat − sea buckthorn (11.2%); in dietary fiber (4.4–53.0%) − most of analyzed products. High antioxidant capacity was noticed for haritaki, berberis, rose hip, Goji berry, and physalis. An important source of minerals was 100 g of: noni (345 mg of Ca; 251 mg of Mg), rose hip (844 mg of Ca; 207 mg of Mg), juniper (564 mg of Ca), sea buckthorn (58 mg of Fe), berberis (24 mg of Fe) and haritaki (14 mg of Fe). The nutritionally attractive dried fruits have the potential for wider application in food formulations.
Highlights
Fruits are an integral and important part of everyday diet
The proximate composition including the content of fat, protein, carbohydrates, and energy value was presented in Table 1 and the data were expressed per 100 g of the edible portion while the results presented in Tables 2, 3, 4, 5 were shown and discussed in relation to dry matter
A high content of fat was found in sea buckthorn (11.2%), while high content of dietary fiber was found in most of analyzed products
Summary
Fruits are an integral and important part of everyday diet. Most of the food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) in the world recommend consuming 5 portions 400–500 g) of fruits and vegetables a day [1]. It is suggested to choose seasonal fruits that are available in a particular region but a significant difficulty in the implementation of these recommendations is the limited availability of fresh fruits throughout the year. Dried fruits are an alternative to fresh fruits but to a limited extent. Most of them can be characterized as rich in dietary fiber and antioxidants, on the other hand, by a high content of sugars, mainly fructose, and moderate to high energy value [2]. Sullivan and co-authors [3] analyzed the impact of dried fruits consumption on the nutrients intake
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
