DETERMINATION OF NUTRITIONAL, ANTI-NUTRITIONAL AND SOME ELEMENTAL COMPONENT OF HYPHAENE THEBAICA (DOUM PALM) FRUITS IN MUBI NORTH MAIN MARKET

The Hyphaene thebaica (doum palm) is oval, edible fruit, a desert palm, native to Egypt, sub- Saharan Africa, and western India. The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional, anti- nutritional, and elemental composition of Hyphaene thebaica (doum palm) fruit available in Mubi North Main Market, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Fresh fruits were purchased, washed, air- dried, and milled into powder before analysis. Proximate analysis (crude moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, crude ash, and carbohydrate) was conducted as per AOAC (2019) guidelines. Anti-nutrients (oxalate, phytate, and tannins) were measured by standard spectrophotometric and titrimetric techniques. Elemental content (calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus) was determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) and flame photometry. Proximate analysis revealed high carbohydrate content (68.74 ± 4.5%), high crude fibre (12.87 ± 2.1%), and low moisture (8.4 ± 1.2%), indicating the potential of the fruit as a stable, energy-dense food resource. Crude ash was 6.24 ± 1.4%, crude protein 2.86 ± 0.1%, and crude fat 0.91 ± 0.02%, which qualified the fruit as low in protein and virtually fat-free. Anti-nutrient assays showed phytate (4.69 ± 0.13 mg/100 g) as the most abundant, followed by oxalate (3.24 ± 0.17 mg/100 g), tannin (2.87 ± 0.10 mg/100 g), and saponin (1.46 ± 0.06 mg/100 g), which can restrict the bioavailability of minerals but also exert some medicinal effects. Mineral content showed potassium as the principal element (310.50 ± 5.47 mg/100 g) with notable calcium (105.25 ± 3.14 mg/100 g) and magnesium (72.40 ± 2.6 mg/100 g) content, and moderate iron (6.15 ± 0.41 mg/100 g) and zinc (2.80 ± 0.22 mg/100 g) content. Sodium content was minimal (15.30 ± 0.52 mg/100 g), which resulted in a good potassium-to-sodium ratio (~20:1) conducive to cardiovascular well-being. The findings indicate that H. thebaica fruits have high levels of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and trace minerals with low anti-nutritional elements, thereby a potential supplemental food to improve nutritional quality in traditional diets. Awareness campaigns are recommended to be implemented to promote easier consumption and also study their functional properties further towards food processing and nutraceutical production.