Borassus aethiopum Mart Ripe Fruits’ Parts, and Drying Temperature Effect on Its Pulp Protein, Fat, Sugars, Metabolizable Energy and Fatty Acids Profile

The aim of this work was to study Borassus aethiopum Mart dried pulp nutritional value for its incorporation in poultry diets. Firstly, the mature fruits’ parts (sepals, peels, pulps, and seeds) were assessed. Secondly, the pulp was dried at 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80°C. Thereafter, analyses were performed for fat, protein, total sugars, Calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), Magnesium (Mg), and fatty acid profile monitoring. As a result, the fruits weighed 1,591.35 grams, delivered 516.73 and 677.82 grams of pulp and seeds, respectively. Mainly, increasing heat adversely affected the outputs. Consequently, the fat results were 14.12, 12.97, 8.93, 8.89, and 5.56%; protein contents were 11.64, 10.15, 8.97, 8.84, and 8.42%; total sugar deliveries were 6.28, 6.05, 5.26, 5.02, and 4.76% (P<0.01). Thereafter, the metabolizable energies were 3,785.22; 3,834.28; 3,616.62; 3,667.03; and 3,608.33 kcal/kg (DM) at 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80°C, respectively. Additionally, Ca contents were 0.51, 0.55, 0.69, 0.77, and 0.81%, while P mean was 0.17%, and the differences were not significant (P<0.01). So, Ca/P ratios were 2.79, 3.04, 4.10, 4.71 and 4.95. Finally, fatty acids (FA) profile assessments revealed 22.33% saturated (SFA) and 77.67% unsaturated (UFA), within which 67.59% were monounsaturated (MUFA). Interestingly, the rising heat depressed n-6/n-3 ratios those were 1.1, 1.1, 0.45 and 0.38, respectively at 40, 50, 70 and 80°C. In short, drying did not only enhance the product shelf life but it also improved the nutritional value. Thus, B. aethiopum mature fruits’ pulps dried at 70°C are good functional foods, with more than 66% MUFA, and energy sources for human and poultry nutrition.