Background and Aims:

In some countries, the inhabitants of rural communities supplement their diet with fruits obtained from wild plants, which usually lack nutritional and phytochemical information, as occurs with the fruits of the Mexican endemic species of the genus Jarilla (Caricaceae). Therefore, the aim of this research was to study the nutritional composition of Jarilla caudata fruits in terms of their proximal chemical analysis, mineral content and amino acid composition, and determine the presence of secondary metabolites, the total content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids.

Methods:

The fruits were collected in the municipality Teocuitatlán de Corona, Jalisco, in July 2018 and 2019. The proximal chemical composition was analyzed using the official methods of analysis (AOAC), the mineral content was determined by means of atomic absorption spectrophotometry, while the amino acids were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Various reagents were used for the preliminary determination of secondary metabolites. The content in phenolic compounds and total flavonoids was quantified by spectrophotometry.

Key results:

In comparison with other fruits of the Caricaceae family, the results indicated that the fruits of J. caudata represent a good source of carbohydrates and proteins (35.7 and 18.9 g/100 g, respectively), as well as some minerals (K, P and Ca). A poor amino acid profile and content was found. The average content of total phenolic compounds was 387.5 mg GAE/100 mg, while that of flavonoids was 56.5 mg QE/100 mg. Compounds considered toxic or antinutritional, such as alkaloids and cyanogenic glycosides, were not detected.

Conclusions:

During summer the fruits of J. caudata can play an important role as a food supplement for the inhabitants of the region of Teocuitatlán de Corona, providing different nutrients, particularly carbohydrates and proteins, as well as other compounds with favorable health effects, such as polyphenols.

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