CHANGES IN THE BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE OF FRUITS OF TWO SPECIES OF AVERRHOA DURING DEVELOPMENT

Objectives: The species of the genus Averrhoa are well known for their economic as well as medicinal importance. Nutritional and anti-nutritional characterization of the two available species, A.bilimbi L. and A.carambola L. (sweet and sour) were carried out in the present study. Methods: Fruit quality was assessed at two maturity stages using ten nutritional parameters, five antinutritional parameters and HPLC profiling of six organic acidsaccording to standard procedures were done. Results: Averrhoa carambola sweet ripe fruits showed high values for eight out of ten nutritional parameters studied and relatively low values for the antinutritional parameters. Anti-nutritional parameters such as phytates, saponins, oxalates, tannins and phenols were well below the permissible levels in all the samples. HPLC analysis clearly indicates that oxalic acid is the predominant organic acid in all the samples (both stages), the only exception being A. carambola sweet ripe, where malic acid dominates. Conclusion: All the fruit samples of Averrhoa taken into consideration for the study showed that they are nutritious. Since the antinutritional factors studied were well below the permissible levels in all the samples they appear to be safe for consumption.