Nutritional Value of Underutilized Fruit: Diospyros chloroxylon Roxb. (Green Ebony Persimmon)

Abstract

Diospyros chloroxylon is the indigenous fruit of the Indian subcontinent and both unripe and ripe fruits are eaten by tribal people. The present study explores the nutritional status of Diospyros chloroxylon fruits. Unripe and ripe fruits were rich in fat, protein, carbohydrate, ash, fiber, and minerals. The energy levels of unripe, ripe fruits, and seeds were 93.78, 133.93, and 96.16 Kcal/100 g, respectively. Ripe fruits were also rich in phenolics (4.64 mg GAE/g DW) and flavonoids (1.62 mg QE/ g DW). Acetone, methanol, and water extracts of unripe, ripe fruits and seeds displayed potent free radical scavenging properties. The seeds of D.chloroxylon possess 3.16% oil and it contains oleic acid (39.91%) and palmitic acid (28.06%) as major fatty acids.