Title: Nutritional composition of black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) grown in Taif City, Saudi Arabia
Abstract:
Introduction: Morus nigra L. is a deciduous tree of the Moraceae family that grows widely in temperate and subtropical countries. The nutritional composition of black mulberry fruit comprises both nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water) and non-nutrient components (fibers). Several factors influenced these, including cultivar, postharvest handling, storage, fertilizer applications, cultural practices, and soil parameters. Therefore, the current study was conducted to investigate the nutritional composition of black mulberry fruit (Morus nigra L.) grown in Taif City, Saudi Arabia.
Method: Standard AOAC techniques were used to identify the macronutrients and fibers, while ICP-AES and ICP-MS were used to determine the minerals (K, Ca, Mg, Fe, N, Zn, and Cu). Additionally, the contents of vitamins C, A, B1, B2, and B3 were examined using HPLC.
Result: The concentrations of fibers and macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and moisture) were 2.84±1.29, 10.03±1.65, 0.35±0.25, 1.65±0.07, and 80.7±0.99g/100g fresh weight, respectively. Additionally, glucose was found to be the predominant sugar in our fruit, with a concentration of 6.09±0.69g/100g. K has the highest macromineral level (366±8.49mg/100g), while Fe has the highest micromineral level (0.88±0.15mg/100g). In contrast, the vitamin contents were found to be in trace amounts.
Conclusion: The moisture, protein, fat, ash, and glucose contents in our black mulberry fruits were comparable to those reported for mulberries grown in other regions worldwide. In contrast, fiber, total sugar, fructose, and minerals varied, reflecting the influence of environmental and cultural factors.
