NUTRITIONAL AND NUTRACEUTICAL POTENTIAL OF UNDERUTILIZED WILD EDIBLE FRUITS USED BY TRIBAL PEOPLE OF KORAPUT, INDIA FOR HEALTH BENEFIT

Wild edible fruits used as indigenous food and contribute significantly to nutritional security of several tribal people of Koraput. However, systematic investigation on nutritional and nutraceutical potential of these wild edible fruits are merger. Present study evaluated the proximate compositions, vitamins, phenol, flavonoid and antioxidant capacity in selected wildfruits of Koraput.The protein, carbohydrates and fat content in the wild fruits are varied from 5.54% to 19.51% and 25.54% to 66.52% and 0.7% to 8.11%, respectively. The wild fruits are rich in energy content which varied from 156.51 to 352.47 kcal100g -1 . The energy content was highest in Semecarpus anacardium followed by Aegle marmelos and Averrhoa carambola. The phenol, flavonoid and antioxidant capacity of the wild fruits were varied from 12.07 to 64.8mg 100g -1 dry weight, 1.07 to 6.25 µg 100g -1 dry weight and 10.98 to 97.56%, respectively.Based on the results, some wild fruits are rich in antioxidants should be promoted for the sources of natural antioxidants and beneficial for health.