Assessment of the nutritional value and prospects of using ziziphus fruit for a healthy human diet

Abstract

Abstract In modern conditions of development of society, food products with antioxidant and immunostimulating properties are becoming increasingly important. This led to research to identify the natural sources of such compounds. Ziziphus fruits grown in the subtropical conditions of the Krasnodar territory of the Apsheron, Chinese 2A, Koktebel and Lakomy varieties were selected as objects of research. It was found that the highest content of pectin substances is allocated to the late-maturing variety Lakomy (7.23%), the lowest–mid-maturing variety Apsheron (4.72%). The fractional composition of pectin substances is represented by protopectin (PP) and soluble pectin (SP). At the same time, the highest content of both SP and PP was found in the ziziphus Lakomy variety (1.73 and 5.50%, respectively). By the highest content of flavonoids and the amount of phenolic compounds, the ziziphus Koktebel variety is distinguished, the lowest - the Chinese 2A variety. All varieties of unabi fruits had high values of total antioxidant activity. At the same time, the lowest antioxidant activity was observed in the Chinese 2A variety (381.9 mg/100 g), and the highest–in the Nikitsky Botanical garden selection variety Koktebel (503.2 mg/100 g). The antioxidant activity in the Apsheron variety (493.4 mg / 100 g) was 1.3 times higher than that in the Chinese variety 2A and slightly different from the Lakomy variety (488.3 mg/100 g). Experimental data confirmed the nutritional value of ziziphus fruits, which allows us to recommend them as a functional source of antioxidants and pectin substances.