Nutritional Potential of Two Maturity Stages of Eggplant Solanum aethiopicum "Striped Toga" Variety Harvested in Côte d’Ivoire
Dan Chépo Ghislaine *
Laboratory of the Department of Food Science and Technology, Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Bioprocesses of the University Nangui Abrogoua, Abidjan, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Cote d`Ivoire.
Fagbohoun Jean Bedel
Laboratory of Biochemistry and Food Technology of the University Péléféro Gon Coulibaly, BP1328 Korhogo, Cote d`Ivoire.
Fankroma Martial
Laboratory of the Department of Food Science and Technology, Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Bioprocesses of the University Nangui Abrogoua, Abidjan, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Cote d`Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
African eggplant Solanum aethiopicum var. striped toga is a vegetable-fruit widely consumed in Côte d'Ivoire. However, observations have shown that the cortex was removed from the pulp during culinary preparations for various reasons. The objective of this study is to contribute to the valorization of this eggplant by showing the nutritional interest of the cortex and the pulp. The samples used in this study were collected in a market garden located south of Abidjan. After separating the cortex from the pulp, they were ground into powder and used for physicochemical analysis. The results concerning physicochemical parameters showed that the ripe pulp (Pm) compared to the ripe cortex (Cm) contained more total sugars (165±0.7 versus 107±0.70 mg/100 g DM). Whereas, the unripe pulp Pnm contained significant amounts of polyphenols and tannins compared to the unripe cortex (636±0.25 versus 328±0.04 mg/100g DM for total polyphenols; 577±0.09 versus 171±0.21 mg/100 g DM for tannins). Oxalate contents decreased in ripe parts of the fruit (Pnm: 332±2.52 and Cnm: 131±1.00 mg/100g DM in unripe eggplant versus Pm: 157.75±1.52 and Cm: 55±0 .00 mg/100g DM in ripe eggplant). Also, Solanum aethiopicum var. striped toga could play an important role in human nutrition because of their nutrients content, thus contributing to better health.
Keywords: Eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum striped toga), physicochemical, powder, cortex, pulp