INVESTIGATION OF COMPARATIVE PHYTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND FOOD VALUES OF FIG AT DIFFERENT MATURITY STAGES

Abstract

Fig (Ficus carica L.) fruit is one of the most important agricultural and medicinal products of the tropic and subtropics areas. An exploration laboratory experiment was conducted during March to July 2023 to investigate the antioxidant, nutritional and phytochemical characteristics of three stages of fig fruit. The evaluation was done collecting fig fruits at three different stages, such as green, pre-mature and mature stages. The food quality attributes like size, moisture, ash, fat, fiber, protein, fiber, vitamin-C, acidity, total sugars, reducing and non-reducing sugars, carbohydrate, chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, Ca, Mg, P, total phenol, reducing power and energy content. The green stage of fig had the highest ash content (1.3%), fat content (0.12%), protein content (3.20%), vitamin C content (9.90 mg/100 g), chlorophyll-a content (2.35 mg/100 g), chlorophyll-b content (2.35%), Ca content (20 mg/100 g), Mg content (12.13 mg/100 g) and P content (22 mg/100 g) but the lowest amount of reducing sugar content (0.82%) and non-reducing content (3.99%), total sugar content (4.81%), total phenol content (3.90 mg/100 g) and reducing power(31.14 mg/100 g). The pre-mature stage of fig had highest fiber content (6.57%), acidity content (0.64%), carbohydrate content (15.93%), total phenol content (5.10 mg/100 g), reducing power content (53.53 mg/100 g) and energy content (72.83 mg/100 g) as well as lowest moisture content (81.00%). The mature stage of fig had highest percent of moisture content (90.00%), reducing sugar content (1.54%), non-reducing sugar content (8.52%) and total sugar(10.06%) as well as lowest content of ash ( 0.99%), fat content (0.07%), protein content (1.68%), vitamin-C content (4.93 mg/100 g), acidity content (0.48%), carbohydrate content (6.85%), chlorophyll-a content (1.03 mg/100 g), chlorophyll-b content (0.89 mg/100 g), Ca content (14.90 mg/100 g), Mg content (6.02%), P content (16.33 mg/100 g) and energy content (34.72 mg/100 g). Among three stages, green stage was better having higher nutrients compared to pre-mature and mature stages. It is inferred that green stage of fig is better for diabetic patient because of low sugar content, higher protein, vitamin C and food minerals.