CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Fruits have been shown to be one of the best sources of dietary fiber with lots of vitamins especially C, E and A as well as minerals. Frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables has been associated with a lowered risk of diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, cancer, and stroke .Southon S (2000)]. Fruits give carbohydrates in the form of soluble sugars, cellulose and starch .Nahar N, Rahaman S, Mosiihuzzaman M (1990)] and serve as source of nutrient, appetizer and supplement for food in a world faced with problem of food scarcity.
Chrysophyllum albidum (Linn), also known as African star apple, belongs to the family Sapotaceae , is primarily a forest tree species (Figure 1a) with its natural occurrences in diverse ecozones in Uganda, Nigeria and Niger Republic Bada SO (1997)The fruit (Figure 1b) is seasonal (December-April) and has immense economic potential, especially following the report that jams obtained from the fruit-pulp could compete with raspberry jams and jellies while the oil from the seed has been used for diverse purposes Oladapo MO (2003). In Nigeria, C. albidum is known as ‘‘agbalumo’’ in South Western Nigeria and “udara” in South Eastern Nigeria. Its rich sources of natural antioxidants have been established to promote health by acting against oxidative stress related diseases such as diabetics, cancer
Figure 1: Chrysophyllum albidum tree (A) and fruits (B) [17].
The fruit-pulp has been reported to contain significant amount of ascorbic acid , vitamins, iron and food flavors , fat, carbohydrate and mineral elements Adisa SA (2000) . The fruit-peel has been shown to be a rich source of fiber and mineral Ige MM, Gbadamosi SO (2007) while the seed shell pericarp has been reported to be a good source of carbohydrate and minerals [15]. The fruits are not only consumed fresh but also used to produce stewed fruit, marmalade, syrup and several types of soft drinks Bello FA, Henry AA (2015).
Proximate and photochemical analysis of edible fruits plays a crucial role in assessing their nutritional significance Anthony S (2009) Freeze-drying method is a drying technique considered appropriate for the preservation of nutritional values of the dehydrated products due to the absence of liquid water and the low temperatures required in the process.
In spite of wide application of C. albidum plant and its great potential as good sources of fiber and carbohydrate, information on the fiber fractions and sugar contents of its edible parts seems to be scanty in the available literature has not been fully investigated. This study was designed to evaluate phytochemical constituents of C. albidumfruit. The results of this study may provide useful information on its nutritional potential and contributionves to nutrient intake of the nation. It may also create public awareness of its utilization when in season.
Aim and Objective of the Study
The study was set to determine the proximate and phytochemical constituents of chrysophyllum abidum.