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PHYSIO-BIOCHEMICAL ASSESSMENT OF SOME METABOLITES OF CITRUS FRUITS COMMONLY CONSUMED IN SOUTH-WEST, NIGERIA

OJEWUMI Anthony Wale*, TOPE-AKINYETUN Racheal Omolara, AJAYI Janet Opeyemi and MAKINDE Sunday Clement O.

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ABSTRACT

Quantities of biochemicals are measures of nutritional and medicinal potentials of fruits. This study evaluated biochemical constituents in grape, sweet orange, lemon and lime fruits. Nutritional, antinutrient and phytochemical contents in peels and juice of the fruits were determined. Crude protein (8.15 %), crude fibre (7.85 %), fat (3.35 %), ash and (4.72 %) were higher (p<0.05) in lemon fruit peels. Sodium (16.16 mg), calcium (6.33 mg), potassium (70.31 mg) and zinc (5.63 mg) were higher in lemon peels. Tannin (0.91 %), phenol (0.76 %) phytate (0.32 %) and oxalate (0.28 %) were also higher in the peels as well as alkaloid (5.23 %) and saponins (1.49 %) in lemon fruit peels. Sweet orange peels contained higher flavonoids (3.24%) while lime fruit peels contained higher steroids (0.13 %). Also, lemon fruit juice contained higher crude protein (1.42%) and fat (0.33%) while ash (0.13 %) was significantly recorded in lime fruit juice. Sodium (12.89 mg) was higher in the lemon fruit juice, calcium (43.25 mg) in sweet orange juice, potassium (145.86 mg) in grape juice while phosphorus (19.16 mg) was higher in lime fruit juice. Phenol (0.71%) and phylate (0.21 %) were higher in lemon juice. Alkaloid (0.78 %) was higher in sweet orange juice as well as flavonoid (0.32 %) in grape fruit juice. Lemon fruits contained appreciable quantities of metabolites compared with other oranges.

Keywords: Biochemicals, Fruit peels, Fruit juice, Metabolites, Extraction.