Abstract
The fruits of “ovo” (Spondias purpurea L) had the highest caloric density of the fruits compared, 74 kcal/100 g edible portion versus 39 to 58 kcal/100 g for peach, apricot, plum, mango, and cherry. This higher caloric density is due principally to ovo's higher concentration of total carbohydrates (19.1%); fructose, glucose, and sucrose together account for 65% of the soluble matter. Unlike the other fruits, ovo retains a fair amount of starch in the mesocarp. It is a moderate source of potassium (250 mgl 100 g edible portion) and an excellent source of vitamin C (49 mg/l00 g edible portion). Analysis of volatile flavor compounds showed 2-hexenal to be the main flavor compound present. Although there is a local market for ovo in Ecuador, large scale exportation of the fresh fruit currently lacks the necessary infrastructure to prolong shelf life, while the current production of ovo is insufficient for large scale industrial processing of the fruit. In the near future, the best alternative to maximize the income of the small holders producing ovo is for them to concentrate on producing “value added products” such as jams, ice creams, alcoholic beverages, and vinegars.
Resumen
LOS frutos del “ovo” (Spondias purpurea L.) tienen el valor más alto de densidad calórica entre los frutos comparados, 74 kcal/100 g de portion comestible frente a valores de 39 a 58 kcallg reportados para durazno (melocotón), albaricoque, ciruela, mango y cereza (guinda). Este valor se debe principalmente a la elevada concentración de los hidratos de carbono (19.1%) en el ovo, en comparación con las otras frutas mencionadas; la concentratión total de fructosa, glucosa y sacarosa representa el 65% de los sólidos totales presentes. En relatión con las otras frutas, el ovo cuenta con cantidades relativamente altas de almidón en el mesocarpio. El ovo representa una fuente regular de potash (250 mgl 100 g de portión comestible) y una excelente fuente de vitamina C (49 mg/100 g de portion comestible). El análisis de los compuestos aromáticos volátiles identificó a 2-hexenal como el componente principal del aroma de lafruta. En Ecuador existe un mercado potential para la venta de los ovos, aunque en la actualidad, la exportatión a gran escala de los frutos frescos carece de la infraestructura necesaria para prolongar la estabilidad delfruto para su transporte y su venta posterior. La mejor alternativa para obtener mayores ingresos para los pequeños productores de ovo sería la venta de los productos que aportan un valor añadido: mermeladas, helados, bebidas alcohólicas y vinagres. Con la productión actual de ovo en Ecuador, sería posible una explotación a nivel de pequeña industria de estos productos elaborados.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Barfod, A. 1987. Anacardiaceae. Pages 9–49in G. Harling and L. Andersson, eds., Flora of Ecuador, Vol. 30. Berlints, Arlöv, Sweden.
Boehringer Mannheim GmbH. 1989. Food analysis: starch uv method. Cat. No. 207748. Mannheim, Germany.
División de Investigaciones en Alimentos. 1983. Tabla de compositión de alimentos para uso práctice Publicatión No. 42. Ministerio de Sanidad y Asistencia Social, Instituto Nacional de Nutritión, Caracas, Venezuela.
Duke, J. A., and A. A. Atchley. 1986. CRC Handbook of proximate analysis tables of higher plants. CRC Press Inc., Boca Raton, FL, USA.
Engel, K-H., J. Heidlas, and R. Tressl. 1990. The flavour of tropical fruits (banana, melon, pineapple). Pages 195–219in I. D. Morton and A. J. MacLeod, eds., Food flavours. Part C. The flavour of fruits. Elsevier Science Publishers B. V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Furia, T. E., and N. Bellanca (eds). 1975. Fenaroli's handbook of flavor ingredients. Vol. 2. 2nd ed. CRC Press, Inc., Cleveland, OH, USA.
Guthrie, H. A. 1979. Introductory nutrition. 4th ed. The C. V. Mosby Company, St. Louis, MO, USA.
Hatanaka, A. 1993. The biogeneration of green odour by green leaves. Phytochemistry 34(5):1201–1218.
INEC. 1987–1995. Encuesta de superficie y production agropecuaria por muestreo de áreas. Instituto Nacional de Estadfstica y Censos (INEC), Quito, Ecuador. (Authors note: this survey is published yearly under the same title, so we have cited this reference only once giving the years of the publications from which we have extracted data.)
Instituto Nacional de Nutrición. 1965. Tabla de composicion de los alimentos ecuatorianos. Ministerio de Previsión Social y Sanidad, Quito, Ecuador.
Kochhar, S. P. 1996. Oxidative pathways to the formation of off-flavours. Pages 168–225in M. J. Saxby, ed., Food taints and off-flavours. 2nd ed. Blackie Academic & Professional, London, UK.
León, J., and P. E. Shaw. 1990. Spondias: the red mombin and related fruits. Pages 116–126in S. Nagy, P. E. Shaw, and F. W. Wardowsky, eds., Fruits of tropical and subtropical origin. Florida Science Source, Lake Alfred, FL, USA.
Leung, W-T.W., Butrum, R. R., and Chang, C. F. 1972. Proximate composition, mineral and vitamin contents of East Asian Food, Part 1,in Food and Agricultural Organization and U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Food composition Table for use in East Asia, Washington DC, USA.
———,and M. Flores. 1961. Tabla de composición de alimentos para uso en América latina. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
McCance, R. A., and E. M. Widdowson. 1991. The composition of foods. 5th ed. The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, London, England.
McCready, R. M., and E. A. McComb. 1952. Extraction and determination of total pectic materials in fruits. Analytical Chemistry 24:1986–1988.
Maarse, H., and R. E. Kepner. 1970. Changes in composition of volatile terpenes in Douglas fir needles during maturation. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 18:1095–1101.
Macía, M. J. 1997. El “ovo” (Spondias purpurea L., Anacardiaceae) un árbol frutal con posibilidades socioeconómicas en Ecuador. Pages 271–281in M. Ríos and H. B. Pedersen, eds., Uso y manejo de recursos vegetales: Memorias del segundo simposio ecuatoriano de etnobotánica y botánica económica. Abya-Yala, Quito, Ecuador.
MAG. 1994. Primer compendio estadístico agropecuario del Ecuador 1965–1993. Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería (MAG), Quito, Ecuador.
Merrill, A. L., and B. K. Watt. 1973. Energy value of foods: basis and derivation. Agricultural Handbook No. 74. United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC, USA.
Mitchell, J. R., K. Buckley, and I. E. Burrows. 1978. Food binding agent. UK Patent I 525 123. The Patent Office, London, England.
Morton, J. F. 1987. Fruits of warm climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.
National Research Council. 1989. Recommended dietary allowances. 10th ed. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA.
Nickerson, G. B., and S. T. Likens. 1966. Gas chromatographic evidence for the occurrence of hop oil components in beer. Journal of Chromatography 21:1–5.
Shibamoto, T., and C-S. Tang. 1990. ‘Minor’ tropical fruits—mango, papaya, passion fruit, and guava. Pages 221–280in I. D. Morton and A. J. MacLeod, eds., Food flavours. Part C. The flavour of fruits. Elsevier Science Publishers B. V, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Souci, S. W., W. Fachmann, and H. Kraut. 1986. Food composition and nutrition tables 1986/87. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Stuttgart, Germany.
Sturrock, D. 1959. Fruits for southern Florida. Southeastern Printing Co., Stuart, Florida, USA.
Winton, A. L., and K. B. Winton. 1935. The structure and composition of foods. Volume II: Vegetables, legumes, fruits. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, U.S.A.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kozioł, M.J., Macía, M.J. Chemical composition, nutritional evaluation, and economic prospects ofSpondias purpurea (Anacardiaceae). Econ Bot 52, 373–380 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02862067
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02862067