"From Forest To A Dietary Powerhouse: Nutritional Richness Of Kendu Fruit (Diospyros Melanoxylon)"

Abstract

Kendu fruit is a fibrous drupe, and has vital role in propagation and act as a source of major economically important traditional fruit. The kendu fruit mesocarp appears brown when it gets ripen, it become fibrous mass. The ripen fruit has an attractive colour due to beta-carotene. The physico-chemical properties of kendu-pulp includes 5.45 ±0.12, 0.16±0.05%, 10.4 ±0.2 ºBrix, 408.12± 1.16µg/g and 16.63±2.02mg for pH, Acidity, TSS, Beta-carotene and Vitamin C respectively. The carbohydrate, protein, fat, ash and moisture includes 26.14±1.02, 1.04 ±0.05, 0.69 ±0.12, 3.48 ±0.43 and 68.65±1.52 respectively for fresh kendu pulp per 100g. The highest phytochemical value was found in methanolic extract and the TPC, TFC and TAC were 139.34±2.19 mg GAE, 105.48±0.018mg QE and 462.742±2.012 mg AAE per 100ml respectively. A GC-MS analysis identified a variety of compounds with significant health benefits. These findings support the use of Kendu fruit as a functional food that may enhance immune health, promote skin vitality, and reduce oxidative stress. Overall, Kendu fruit shows considerable medicinal potential, offering numerous health benefits as a nutrient-dense, bioactive food.