Nutrient Analysis of Some Selected Wild Edible Fruits of Deciduous Forests of India: an Explorative Study towards Non Conventional Bio-Nutrition

Considering the growing need to identify alternative bio-nutritional sources, 15 wild edible fruits consumed in deciduous forest zone of India were evaluated for their nutritive value in order to prioritize edible wild fruits suitable for domestication. The result showed significance of wild fruit species as important source of nutrient for rural poor. The nutritional value of many wild fruits compared well with domesticated popular fruits as mango, banana, guava, papaya, sapota, pomegranate, strawberry etc. in terms of protein, carbohydrate or Vitamin content. The carbohydrate content in wild varieties as Mimusops elengi (18.1%) is found to be at par with mango (17%) and pomegranate (17.1%). High concentration of sugar was noted in Ziziphus rugosa (20.7%) compared to domesticated sapota (21.4%), grapes (16.2%) and pomegranate (16.5%). Protein content in Bridelia tomentosa (3.1%), Carissa spinarum (3.6%) and Polyalthia suberosa (1.9%) was found similar to cultivated fruits, viz., guava (2.5%), banana (1.09%) and lemon (1.1%). Maximum proportion of Ascorbic acid/Vitamin-C content was seen in case of Solanum torvum (37.4 mg/100 g), Terminalia citrina (53.52 mg/100 g), which is higher to banana (8.7 mg/100 g), apple (4.6 mg/100 g), pomegranate (6.1 mg/100 g) and mango (27.7 mg/100 g). Of particular importance are Eugenia rothii, Mimusops elengi, Ziziphus oenoplia, Ziziphus rugosa, Bridelia tomentosa and Carissa spinarum that had significant level of micronutrient and minerals and therefore were identified as promising species for promotion as backyard planting especially farming systems suffering from crop loss, food shortage and chronic malnutrition.