Nutritional Properties
The round, green fruit contains a cream colored powder in which many small brown seeds are embedded. This naturally desiccated powder is the fruit pulp. Baobab fruit pulp has a long history of traditional use in Africa. Most commonly it is eaten raw as a snack, or mixed in with other foods as a flavoring. Its tangy, tart flavor makes it especially popular with children and is used to make a refreshing cool drink, widely consumed across the continent.
The citric and tartaric acid found in the pulp has given it the popular name of “cream of tartar” and is often used as a baking ingredient. Other traditional uses are as a milk-curdling agent, as yogurt or ice-cream flavoring or as a source of calcium for pregnant or lactating women. In some African cultures, the pulp has also been used as an ingredient in traditional cosmetics.
Baobab fruit pulp is a novel nutraceutical ingredient with the following characteristics:
- A high natural Vitamin C content (approx. 150 mg/100g).
- Strong antioxidant properties: integral Antioxidant Capacity (IAC) = 11.1 mmol/g. This value is significantly higher than that of an orange pulp (IAC = 0.103 mmol/g), and grape seed Oligomers (IAC = 10.25 mmol/g).
- A natural source of minerals including Calcium (293 mg/100g), Phosphorus (96 – 118 mg/100g), Iron (7-8.6 mg/100g) and Potassium (2.31 mg/100g).
- A good source of Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and Vitamin B3 (niacin).
- High levels of pectin (23%), making it a useful binding and thickening agent.
- The acidulous taste is attributed to the presence of organic acids, such as citric acid, malic acid and succinic acid.
Active Ingredients
The baobab fruit pulp is a very important nutritional supplement with interesting medicinal properties and is best-known for its high vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) content and is thus often given as a calming agent against fever. The pulp also contains high values of carbohydrates, calcium, potassium, thiamine and nicotinic acid. Most significant is the Integral Antioxidant Capacity (IAC), which is due to the presence of ascorbic, citric, tartaric, malic and succinic acids. Other essential vitamins present are riboflavin and niacin. In addition, the pulp contains 23% pectin making it an important binding and diluting ingredient. The antioxidants are essential for protection against free radicals, maintenance of metabolic processes, synthesis of steroidal hormones, connective tissues, assisting neurotransmitters and preventing degenerative diseases, as well as increasing the body’s ability to absorb calcium and iron. The pulp has proven to stimulate intestinal microflora making it a potential prebiotic ingredient. Tests have also confirmed its importance as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antipyretic and analgesic agent.
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