PROXIMATE COMPOSITION, NUTRITIVE SUBSTANCE AND PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF WILD EDIBLE FRUITS OF VELLIANGIRI HILLS OF COIMBATORE DISTRICT

Abstract

Fruits contribute significantly to the food security of the society especially in terms of vitamins and micronutrients. Numerous wild edible fruits from various families distributed in Poondi, Velliangiri hills,Coimbatore were assessed the Malasar tribal people consume these fruits as a natural source of food supplement. The five wild edible fruits viz., Zizipus jujuba Mill. Z.oenoplia Mill. (Rhamnaceae), Limonia acidissimia L. (Rutaceae), Phyllanthus emblica L. (Euphorbiaceae) and Ficus racemosa L. (Moraceae) were assessed for their mineral and phytochemical contents. In which the underutilized fruits possesses high nutritional and medicinal properties for the ethanolic extracts. The macro and micro elements and their constituents explored that Fe was abundant in all the edible fruit species. while Z.jujuba was observed to contain high Fe content than those of others. Qualitative phytochemical screening also revealed the presence of phenolics, alkaloids, flavanoids and terpenoids. In quantitative phytochemical estimations also phenolic and tannin concentration was found to be high in F. racemosa while L.acidissimia fruit depicted maximum total flavonoid content. The nutritional and phytochemical composition of fruits indicates that, these
neglected wild edible fruits can be a valuable source of nutrients under famine conditions and high levels of some vitamins can be used to prevent diseases.