Evaluation of Nutritional Composition of Ripe Date Fruit (Phoenix Dactylifera L.) pulp and Seed grown in Nigeria

Date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is rich in both macro and micronutrients, including vitamins. Several researches have been carried out to determine the nutritional properties of various varieties of date fruit, however, there is currently no study that compares the nutritional composition, total phenolic content and sugar content of ripe red and yellow date. Proximate composition of ripened red and yellow dates was analyzed, the total phenolic content, Vitamin C and sugar contents were also determined. The moisture content in the date samples were 4.87 % and 5.76 %; ash content 1.05 % and 1.08 %; protein content to be 3.11 % and 1.37 %; carbohydrate content to be 60.6 % and 61.02 %; fat content to be 18.02 % and 17.4 % and crude fibre content in the two date samples was determined to be 12.3 % and 13.2 % for Red and Yellow variety respectively. Carbohydrate content of the red date was significantly higher than that of yellow date fruit with both having 14.87% and 9.10% respectively Vitamin C content of red and yellow date was 1.71 mg/100g and 1.46 mg/100g respectively. Vitamin C content of the varieties were fairly low; however, phenolic content was high. The total phenolic content of the red and yellow date was 37.91 mg/100g and 43.55 mg/100g respectively. The finding of this research helps in understanding the nutritional composition of two different varieties of the Nigerian date fruits which can be a basis for developing value-added supplements and nutritious food in the food industry.