Effects of drying methods on compositional characterization and functional characteristics of Blighia sapida aril oil

The composition of Blighia sapida fruits is reported to differ based on its origin, variety, and preservation technique. In this study, the effect of drying method on the composition as well as the antioxidant activity of oven-dried and sun-dried B. sapida aril flour and oil were examined using standard procedures. Sun-dried B. sapida aril flour had significantly higher protein and fat content compared to the oven-dried flour. In addition, sun-dried B. sapida aril flour contained a more diverse phytochemical profile compared to the oven-dried flour. However, oven-dried B. sapida aril oil (ODAO) showed a higher percentage of unsaturated fatty acids compared to oil from the sun-dried B. sapida flour (SDAO). On the other hand, SDAO showed significantly higher DPPH scavenging and nitric oxide inhibitory activities compared to ODAO. Based on these findings, sun-drying is recommended for both nutritional purposes and other health-promoting usage such as antioxidant, over oven-drying.