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Free Sugars and Fructan Contents of Commonly Consumed Fruits of Maiduguri Metropolis North East Nigeria

Abubakar Gidado, Aliyu Daja, Zainab Mohammed Kassim, Aisha Idris and Mohammed Audu

Rationale: Free sugars are dietary monosaccharide (glucose, fructose, galactose etc.) that are absorbed directly into the bloodstream during digestion. The fructans are however not easily absorbed. Both types have a wide range of health benefits. Fruit is known to be a rich source of these classes of carbohydrates.

Objective: The objective of this study is to estimate free sugars and fructans in commonly consumed fruits in Maiduguri metropolis of North East Nigeria with a view to developing for the first time a food compositional table which reflects the presence and amounts of specific free sugars and fermentable oligosaccharides (fructans) in fruits within the study area.

Methodology: Twenty-two (22) fruits samples were collected and processed. Free sugars and fructan contents in the fruits were determined using the Megazyme K-SUFRG and K-FRUC assay kits.

Results: All the twenty-two fruits analyzed showed the presence of free glucose with tamarind (Tamarindus indica) showing the highest concentration, followed by sweet melon (Curcumas melon) and desert palm (Balanite aegyptiaca) respectively. Sweet detar (Detarium microcapum) had the lowest free glucose content of 0.01 g/100 g. On the contrary, only 50% of the total fruits studied had some detectable free fructose and sucrose. Free fructose content in oranges>African locust bean>desert date (3.34 g/100 g>1.09 g/100 g>0.82 g/100 g). The amount of sucrose in plantain (Musa paradisiaca) was 20.01 g/100 g which is 2-folds higher than its contents in Chris thorn (Zizipus spinacristi). Daleb Palm (Borassus aethiopum) was found to be rich in fructans followed closely by bananas and plantains. All other fruits studied showed less than 0.9% of fructan contents.

Conclusion: Information from this study provides a useful document for the development of food composition table that is reflective of the free sugars and fructan contents of fruits consumed within the region.