PROXIMATE, MINERAL ANALYSIS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF SELECTED WILD FRUITS FROM DISTRICT KURRAM KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

Saima, Bibi Umolbaneen

PAKISTAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY

2023

55

5

Hussain, W;Ali, M

Wild edible fruits play an important role in the nutritional security of humans around the globe. The detailed analyses of nutritional and minerals composition of wild fruits of the Kurram region (in Pakistan) are lacking. The objective of the current study was to determine the nutritional, minerals composition and antioxidants activities of five selected wild fruits Rubus fruticosus, Prunus jacquemontii, Nannorrhops ritchiana, Crataegus oxyacantha, and Elaeagnus angustifolia. Among these wild fruits the highest moisture content (27.1%) was recorded in Nannorrhops ritchieana while crude protein was at a maximum in Nannorrhops ritchiana (11.4%) and in Prunus jacquemontii (11.3%), while ash was highest (15.4%) in Prunus jacquemontii. On the other hand, crude fat (11.7%) was the maximum in Prunus jacquemontii, crude fiber was found to be the higher (13.4%) in Rubus fruticosus, and the maximum carbohydrate (85%) was found in Elaeagnus angustifolia. Notable amounts of macro minerals like potassium was found to be a maximum in Crataegus oxyacantha (77.2mg/L), calcium in Elaeagnus angustifolia (102.7mg/L), and magnesium in Rubus fruticosus (13.7 mg/L) as well as in Nannorrhops ritchiana (13.6 mg/L). The microelements like iron were recorded to be a maximum (3.4 mg/L) in Prunus jacquemontii, zinc as a maximum (0.44 mg/L) in Nannorrhops ritchiana, both cobalt and manganese concentrations of (0.3 mg/L), (0.2mg/L) were observed to be the highest in Rubus fruticosus respectively, while chromium were found to be a maximum in Elaeagnus angustifolia i.e. 0.07mg/L. Sodium was found to be high in Nannorrhops ritchiana (6.01mg/L). Highest FRSA% was reported in Rubus fruticosus which was 77% and TAC% was maximum in Prunus jacquemontii i.e. 1.33 mg/ml. Nutrition results of these five wild fruits showed that these species should be developed as nutraceuticals so that these wild edible fruits can be employed for supplementing the dietary foods of mountain people.