Savithri Kumaraswamy* and Senthamarai Selvi V
Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg, commonly known as Breadfruit (seedless), is one of the economically important trees, which is being used for food, fodder, fuel, timber, starch as adhesives, gum, and dye for textiles, paper, cordage and medicine; however, its fruits are reported as staple food. In the present investigation the ethanolic extract of Artocarpus altilis fruit pulp (EAFP) were analysed for their proximate and mineral content in matured unripe fruit. Proximate analysis of the unripe edible fruit showed that it is rich in carbohydrate (70.81%) when compared to ash (1.45%), protein (3.10%), fat (3.34%) and fibre (9.52%). The lower moisture levels in this study are suggestive of longer shelf life for the breadfruit flours. The bread flour could replace wheat, maida, etc. for pastries and confectionary process. In this investigation, more elements contributing to the mineral composition were determined in EAFP than in the majority of papers published to date. The order of the concentrations of the trace and heavy elements in the EAFP sample was Fe >Ni > Cu > Cr > Mn > Zn > Mo >Co and Al > V > Pb > Cd > As >Hg respectively. EAFP contain the highest level of Al, a toxic metal, as well as the essential microelement Fe. The fruits analyzed did not contain mineral concentrations exceeding the recommended values. Therefore, EAFP can act to provide the needed energy, mineral nutrition, pharmaceuticals and help combat malnutrition.
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