Amino acid profiling and vitamin content of Spondias mombin , Canarium schweinfurthii, and Citrus sinensis

Abstract

The neglect and under-utilization of nutrient content and locally available/affordable fruit crops have contributed to the high burden of macro and micro-nutrient deficiency. The study was designed to study the amino acid and vitamin contents of Spondias mombin, Canarium schweinfurthii, and Citrus sinensis fruits. The selected fruits used for the study were collected from the trees bearing the fruits in a farmyard within Abakaliki metropolis, Ebonyi state. AOAC standard procedures were used to determine the fresh fruit pulps’ nutrient contents. Results showed Citrus sinensis, did not significantly (p > 0.05) lead in any of the 12 major vitamins studied. However, it shares a similar amount of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) with Spondias mombin (0.53 and 0.57 mg/100g, respectively). Analysis of the amino acid profiles of the fruits showed they contain many aromatic, sulphur-containing, neutral, essential, acidic, and non-essential amino acids. Canarium schweinfurthii led in the amount of total amino acids (87.31 g/100g). Citrus sinensis (orange), which is a well utilized fruit, has no nutritional advantage over the moderately utilized Canarium schweinfurthii (bush candle) and the underutilized Spondias mombin (hog plum). Canarium schweinfurthii (bush candle) showed significant (p < 0.05) nutritional advantage over the other two.