A comparative analysis of the biochemical constituents and nutritional role of the Wild Sour Plum (Ximenia caffra) nut with commercial nuts for potential commercialisation

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promote universal access to safe, nutritious food. Thus, the “Zero Hunger” campaign's sustainable efforts to eliminate hunger, by encouraging the cultivation and use of underutilised crops and their value-added products, can improve food systems and community development. Wild sour plum (Ximeniacaffra subs caffra) nuts, an Oleaceae fruit crop native to the Lowveld of Southern Africa, are an underappreciated value-added commodity. In large or small amounts, nuts provide vital nutrients for human consumption. The biochemical components profile of wild sour plum nuts was compared to different commercial nuts to determine their potential role in human nutrition. Wild sour plum, pecan, and macadamia nuts were sampled, each having 24 samples. These samples were tested for various biochemical constituents including total fat and calcium. The study found that pecan nuts and macadamia nuts were superior compared to other nuts, with regards to total fat and calcium content, pecan nuts containing a total fat content of 11.7 g per 100 g dry weight (g/100 g DW), and macadamia nuts containing a total calcium content of 70.5 mg per hundred gram dry weight (mg/100 g DW). The study found that wild sour plum nuts could potentially provide enough nutrients to fulfill the nutritional recommended daily intake for humans. Thus, wild sour plum nuts may be important in human diets, provided crop production is done properly, which includes irrigation, fertilisation, and temperature management of the crop.