European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

STUDIES ON CARBOHYDRATE AND PROTEIN CONTENTS OF SOME UNDERUTILIZED WILD FRUITS

Vaishali J. Khilari*, Somnath S. Gholap and Pramod P. Sharma

ABSTRACT

Western Ghat (Maharashtra), India is well known for excellent plant and animal biodiversity. Due to presence of abundant wild edible fruit species, native tribal peoples were regularly consuming these fruits or fulfilling food necessity. Eleven wild and underutilized edible fruits of Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb., Pithecellobium dulce Roxb., Carissa congesta Weight., Lantana camara L, opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw., Aegle marmelos L, Terminalia catappa L, Zizyphus mauritiana Lam, Limonia acidessima L., Elaeagnus conferta Roxb. and Anacardium occidentale L. have high nutritional potential and medicinal properties. The present study deals with the investigation of carbohydrate and protein content of these eleven wild edible fruits using standard protocols. The carbohydrate and protein content was compared with some commonly consumable fruits. The exploitation of wild fruits as nutritious food for wild as well as urban citizens and to deliver the information about commercial value of these fruit plants are the main intentions of the present study.

Keywords: Wild fruits, nutritional analysis, carbohydrates, proteins, DNSA method, Folins-Lowry method.