Nutritional Properties of Some Selected Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L) Land Races in Nigeria

Abstract

The chemical constituents present in plants have been reported to vary with the geographical location of the plants. This investigation assessed the nutritional composition of some selected date fruits from the experimental gene pool in dutse, Nigeria in order to investigate any uniqueness relative to Date palms cultivated in other regions. The proximate analysis of the date fruits were quantitatively analyzed for carbohydrates, protein, lipids, fiber, moisture, sucrose, glucose and fructose. The mineral contents were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The highest moisture content were recorded for accession R13P5 (7.65±0.03). Moreover, carbohydrate and protein content was found to be highest in accessions R5P24 (64.55±5.73) and R4P29 (7.13±0.19) respectively. Similarly the ash, fiber and lipid contents were highest in accessions R5P8, R14P21 and R5P24 respectively. Considerable amounts of sucrose, glucose and fructose were recorded in all the accessions. The mineral contents analyzed indicated good sources of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and phosphorus. The present finding helps in understanding the nutritional status of different accessions in some Nigerian date palm fruits which can serve as a baseline for selection in improvement of the crop for the nutritional health benefits.