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Baobab Food Products: A Review on their Composition and Nutritional Value
Critical Reviews In Food Science and Nutrition
Abstract and Figures
Several authors have published about baobab food products. Data on macronutrients, micronutrients, amino acids, and fatty acids were collected from literature for pulp, leaves, seeds, and kernels of the baobab tree. The results show that baobab pulp is particularly rich in vitamin C; consumption of 40 g covers 84 to more than 100% of the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of pregnant women (19-30 years). The leaves are particularly rich in calcium (307 to 2640 mg/100 g dw), and they are known to contain good quality proteins with a chemical score of 0.81. The whole seeds and the kernels have a relatively high lipid content, 11.6 to 33.3 g/100 g dw and 18.9 to 34.7 g/100 g dw, respectively. The pulp and leaves exhibit antioxidant properties with a higher activity in the pulp than in the leaves. Reported nutrient contents of different baobab parts show a large variation, which may have arisen from various factors. Three recommendations are given for future research: 1. More attention should be given to accuracy and precision of analytical methods, 2. Research about digestibility and bioavailability of baobab products is needed, 3. The effect of storage and processing on the nutritional value of baobab products needs to be assessed.
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... In African, baobab seeds are extracted and used to make oils, soups, and stews. Tough the oils extracted are known to provide a good source of mineral elements essential for supporting and boosting hair and skin health and to some extent being cytotoxic to human breast cancer cells, currently, it does not have any major applications and hence its production is underutilized [10,11]. ...
Biodiesel production from underutilized seed oils offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels for energy generation. The present study focuses on employing response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box–Behnken experimental design (BBED) to optimize the reaction conditions in biodiesel production from baobab seed oil. The study investigates the impact of various experimental variables on the biodiesel yield. Specifically, the study explores the influence of reaction temperature (40°C–70°C), reaction time (60–120 min), catalyst concentration (0.5–1.5 wt. %), and oil-to-ethanol ratio (1:3–1:9 mol/mol) on the optimal yield. After screening the variables as mentioned above, the optimized reaction conditions were determined to be as follows: a reaction temperature of 55°C, a reaction time of 60 min, a catalyst concentration of 1.5 wt. %, and an oil-to-ethanol ratio of 1:6 mol/mol. These conditions gave a percentage yield of 98.6%. Notably, the biodiesel properties obtained met the recommended standards. Furthermore, the statistical analysis revealed an adjusted R2 value of 0.9465, closely aligned with the predicted R2 value of 0.8703, with a difference of less than 0.2. This indicates a congeniality of the experimental data and the model predictions. Additionally, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) derived from the quadratic model obtained from the RSM indicated that the model could accurately predict the biodiesel conversion with 97.32% accuracy, providing insights into the observed variations.
... The existence of monounsaturated fatty acids could help all age groups, mostly adults and the elderly, by supporting cardiovascular health [62,63]. The dry matter and ash contents agree with the results reported by other researchers [63][64][65]. The high dry matter content in BLs indicates their nutrient density, while the ash content shows their richness in minerals. ...
Background/Objectives: Baobab (Adansonia digitate L.) is an underutilized species and edible parts (fruits, leaves and seeds) contribute to food security and human health in tropical areas. Although the fruits have attracted greater research interest and have recently been approved for consumption in EU countries, the leaves are traditionally consumed but they have yet to be studied from an interventional perspective. The aim of this study was to propose a protocol for a dietary intervention using baobab leaves (BLs) to achieve the recommended reference values for proteins and minerals (K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn) for different target groups of the Sudanese population. Methods: Dry matter, crude fat, protein and ash content, mineral content (Na, Mg, K, Ca, Fe, Mn), total phenolic, and flavonoid compounds were determined in BLs from six different areas. To assess the health and nutrition status in Sudan, time-series data (2013–2023) from the DataBank Health Nutrition and Population Statistics database were used. The reference values for nutrients recommended by the European Food Safety Authority were used to estimate the amount of baobab leaf intake (BLI, g/day). Results: For each nutrient, the study area with the lowest amount of BLs to be consumed is recommended. Leaves from the area of El Gari (BN3) 18.312 g/day and 30.712 g/day are recommended for K and Ca, which are particularly beneficial for children aged 1–3 years and lactating women. Leaves from Kor Tagat (KR1) are suitable for sodium intake, requiring approximately 13–23 g/day across all age groups. Leaves from Kazgil (KR2) (46–81 g/day), (35–66 g/day), (0.48–0.68 g/day), and (4–6 g/day) are optimal for fulfilling the daily requirements of magnesium, iron, manganese, and protein in this order. Conclusions: The systematic inclusion of BLs in the diet can positively support the nutritional status of various demographics. Moreover, the findings of this study demonstrated the foundation for public health and nutritional policy-makers on how they will tackle malnutrition and food insecurity worldwide by incorporating naturally available diets and nutritious alternatives. Recommendation: Further research should focus on assessing the nutritional composition factors that could affect the absorption of nutrients such as phytates and oxalates and investigating the in vitro bioavailability of the elements.
... But the levels obtained are higher than those obtained by Dappah et al. [33] by studying the composition of the leaves of Corchorus olitoris, commonly known as "Pklara in Côte d'Ivoire", which contain 26.03% carbohydrates. Thus, the incorporation of the leaves and fruits of Alchornea cordifolia into the diet is an adequate source of non-starchy carbohydrates because they contain as many carbohydrates as baobab leaves, the consumption of which covers the recommended daily intake (RDI) of nutrients [34]. ...
Aims: This study aims to enhance the nutritional value of the leaves and fruits of Alchornea cordifolia by characterizing the physicochemical compounds through their dosage. Study Design: To solve health problems, humans use different methods, including the use of spontaneous wild plants such as Alchornea cordifolia. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at the Agro-valorization laboratory of the Jean Lorougnon Guédé University of Daloa between November 2023 and July 2024. Methodology: The plant material consisted of leaves and fruits of Alchornea cordifolia harvested from three regions. The characterization of the pH and lipid ash, pH, dry matter, carbohydrates, energy values contents was carried out by official analysis methods (Association of Official Analytical Chemists), proteins by the Kjeldahl method, lipids by the Soxhlet method, fibers by the Weende method, and total and reducing sugars were determined using the UV-VIS spectrophotometry method by spectrophotometric use. Results: the samples analysed contain the highest average content of proteins 15.11% for young leaves, 3.7% lipids, 3.9% pH, 58.69% carbohydrates and 261.63 kcal energy value. In terms of dried leaves, 6.02% ash, 91.80% dry matter and 37.83% fibre. Mature leaves record 6.66% total sugars and 3.2% reducing sugars. Conclusion: In conclusion, these leaves, whether young, dried, or mature, offer a variety of essential nutrients that can meet different nutritional needs, ranging from protein and energy intake to digestion and mineral intake.
... Most commercialized products also have nutritional values. Baobab pulp contains antioxidants and vitamin C (Chadare et al., 2009), safú provides monosaturated fats (Makouate and Lekagne, 2022) and the protein content of izaquente exceeds that of soybeans (Orwa et al., 2009c). The food value of these NWFPs, also considering the low barriers to resource access, is therefore of particular importance against the backdrop of increasing food prices and inadequate diets, identified as key development challenges in STP (WFP, 2023). ...
The use and trade of non-wood forest products (NWFPs) may simultaneously bring about positive outcomes for conservation and rural development. This assumption underlies national strategies on NWFPs and Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) in Sao Tome and Príncipe. However, there is a lack of understanding of how native tree products such as Adansonia digitata (baobab), Dacryodes edulis (African plum) and Treculia africana (African
breadfruit) are harvested, traded, and used. Besides, there is little knowledge about how both the landscapes these products originate from and the activities from harvest to consumption are governed. Using a value chain-landscape nexus approach, a quantitative survey with chain actors, semi-structured expert interviews and participant observations at marketplaces on Sao Tome Island, we explored the socio-economic relevance of
NWFPs included in FLR initiatives and how governance arrangements impact these. Despite being seasonal and
limited to the capital, the formal trade of these products was of significant economic importance to the country.
Nevertheless, weak statutory governance and an absence of customary governance arrangements puts the sustainability of NWFP harvesting, and thereby the outcomes of FLR, in jeopardy. The value chain-landscape governance nexus approach helps to understand how the use of NWFPs as part of forest restoration endeavors needs to take into consideration not only socio-economic benefits but also how the chains are governed in order
to ensure that trade is compatible with FLR goals. Future research could further test the robustness of this conceptualization both in Sao Tome and beyond.
... Several members of Bombacoideae are used as fiber and other utilities and some are also used as ornamental plants. Adansonia digitata is a multipurpose plant with various economic and social values (Chadare et al., 2008). Adansonia digitata is a popular plant with over three hundred traditional uses in African nations (Buchmann et al., 2010). ...
Resistance to synthetic antibiotics remains a significant global health challenge, prompting interest in natural alternatives such as phytochemicals. This study evaluated the antimicrobial potential of methanol and aqueous extracts from Adansonia digitata leaves against various pathogenic bacteria. Quantitative analysis revealed higher concentrations of alkaloids (5.60% in methanol extract), flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids (3.2% in methanol extract), and phenols in the methanol extract compared to the aqueous extract. The methanol extract demonstrated notable antibacterial activity, particularly against Serratia marcescens and Staphylococcus aureus, with a maximum zone of inhibition of 24.00 mm. In contrast, the aqueous extract showed no significant antibacterial effect. However, several bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Citrobacter freundii, exhibited resistance to both extracts, despite exposure to concentrations below the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). MIC values ranged from 62.50 mg/mL to 500 mg/mL for different bacterial strains, indicating varying susceptibility levels. This resistance highlights the complex way bacteria respond to phytochemicals and indicates that more research is necessary to identify the precise bioactive substances causing antimicrobial action as well as potential resistance pathways.
Medicinal plants have been used for decades by rural dwellers to alleviate suffering due to parasitic diseases and interest have grown in recent times on their application as alternatives for deworming of animals. Hence, this study was undertaken to investigated the in vitro anthelminthic potential of ethanolic and methanolic stem bark extracts of activity of Adansonia digitata Linn (Baobab Tree) on earthworms (Pheritima posthuma) using 12.5, 25.0, 50.0 and 100.0 mg/mL ethanolic and methanolic extract concentrations. Data obtained indicates that after 60-minute of exposure, the mortality pattern mirrored that observed at 30 minutes, with the mean number of live worms decreasing from 1.25±1.26 (at 12.5 mg/ml) to 0±0 (at 100 mg/ml) for the ethanol extract and 1.5±0.57 (at 12.5 mg/ml) to 0±0 (at 100 mg/ml) for the methanol extract. This reduction was statistically significant (p<0.05) and compared favourably with Albendazole (40 mg/ml), which is the positive control. A dose dependent inverse relationship was observed with increase in the number of dead worms and decrease in the number of earthworm alive. After 30 minutes of exposure, the number of dead earthworms rose to a 100% at 100mg/mL concentration for both extracts. Overall, the anthelmintic activity was significantly greater after 60 minutes compared to 30 minutes of exposure, indicating enhanced effectiveness over time across the treatment groups.
Indigenous fruits have the potential to address food security in Africa through the provision of nutrition and maintenance of sustainable livelihoods. Fruit trees are not only an important food source but also provide valuable vitamins, fats, sugar, protein and fibres that human bodies require. Whereas the contribution of Indigenous Fruit Trees (IFTs) to household nutrition and rural livelihoods is evident, their potential for commercialization needs to be enhanced by improving the standards of value-added products for the international markets. The few IFT products that have already penetrated the international markets have shown potential for more growth owing to their nutritional, adaptative and market values. Commercialization can further be improved through domestication of important IFTs and the use of eco-labelling through the fair-trade. This chapter shows that very few indigenous fruits and fruit tree products have been developed as commercial products in the African multi-functional landscapes. Prominently, there are five fruit tree species whose products have reached the international market and are already contributing to local community and national incomes, namely: Adansonia digitata, Allanblackia spp, Sclerocarya birea, Vitellaria paradoxa, Ziphiphus mauritiana and Irvingia gabonensis. The commercialization process of indigenous fruits and fruit products is hindered by various factors including the limited shelf life of these fruits and their seasonality and perishability, low domestication levels, low awareness and demand, inadequate research and development, policy and regulatory challenges, land use and agricultural practices, limited access to finance and investment. There is also limited development of the IFT value chain in Africa—few enterprises with no formal markets. Many IFT products are, therefore, unable to make it to the international market because of poor quality standards, low value addition, poor infrastructure and investment in market research and development.
Food-to-food fortification and fermentation are effective strategies to enhance the product functionality and nutrient density of infant complementary foods. However, their effectiveness hinges on a deep understanding of ingredient combinations. Our research focused on the physicochemical and techno-functional aspects of sorghum-baobab blends, comparing two processes: 'co-ferment-cook' and 'ferment-cook-fortify'. The results show that both techniques improved the water absorption capacity by 17-20% and the water solubility index increased by over 100% while maintaining a comparable nutritional composition and energy density. The calculated energy density (2048.8-2345 kJ day-1) was sufficient for both blends for infants 6-11 months old with an average breast milk intake. Viscosity, another crucial factor for complementary feeding, improved significantly (P < 0.05) after co-ferment-cook compared to ferment-cook-fortify reaching a value suitable for children older than 18 months. Starch digestibility increased with co-ferment-cook, while protein digestion increased with fortified non-fermented foods. In conclusion, our findings emphasize that combining fermentation and fortification processing steps is optimal for balancing the nutritional and techno-functional properties of sorghum porridges for infant complementary foods. Processing parameters must be optimized to reach the viscosity suitable for complementary feeding at the assigned soluble solid contents for the age group 6-24 months.
The baobabs (Bombacaceae: Adansonia) are tropical trees native to Africa, Australia, and Madagascar but dispersed widely by humans. The members of the genus are united by several derived characters that serve to distinguish them from other Bombacaceae, including a characteristic, indehiscent fruit with reniform seeds and a powdery pulp. The systematics of Adansonia is revised, with three sections and eight species being recognized. The support for each species is discussed in the context of the "Genealogical Species Concept." Several nomenclatural problems are resolved, and a new combination, A. gibbosa (A. Cunn.) Guymer ex D. Baum, is made. In addition, the ecology, ethnobotany, and conservation status of Adansonia is summarized, focusing especially on the poorly known Malagasy and Australian species.
Because mineral composition data for Western African foods are incomplete, it is essential to obtain analyses of foods in order to assess the quality of existing food as well as to estimate dietary intake of various minerals, such as calcium. Twenty-eight Western African foods were analyzed for calcium using the method described by Ferguson et al., (1993) and the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) (Padmore, 1990). Calcium concentrations were determined using an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer (ICP). Calcium recovery was 94.4% of the expected value with respect to a standard reference material (corn husk). For all foods assessed, the content of calcium ranged from 3.04 to 3630 mg/100 g dry wt. Based on dry weight, the top five foods for calcium in rank order were sorrel leaves (3630 mg/100 g), amaranth leaves (3590 mg/100 g), okra leaves (2850 mg/100 g), onion leaves (2540 mg/100 g), and baobab leaves (2240 mg/100 g). Data from this study provide calcium analyses of some commonly eaten Western African foods, which should help in planning food-based intervention programs to improve mineral nutrition.
The information presented in this paper is based on a broad literature review of knowledge of all plants used as sources of food and water by the Khoisan people, namely, the Hottentots or Khoi-Khoin and the San or Bushmen (Schapera 1963, Bruwer 1972), who inhabit the arid and semi-arid areas of Namibia, Botswana and southern Angola (mean annual rainfall 50–700 mm). The literature survey is supplemented by nutritional data, most of which has not been previously published.
Sundrying, roasting and fermentation were the traditional processing techniques selected to use to improve the chemical composition of the baobab pulp and seed. The fruits were purchased from a retailer in Maiduguri. The pulp was scraped and kneaded in cold water to form an emulsion. The emulsion was passed through a fine sieve and frozen until used. The seeds were thoroughly cleaned, boiled, dehulled and divided into five portions. The first two portions were sun‐dried and roasted. The remaining three portions were fermented for 2, 4 and 6 days at 28°C. After this, they were dried to 96% dry matter, ground into fine powder and stored frozen as the pulp. Standard techniques were adopted for the analysis of the samples. Fermentation of the seeds for 6d offers much advantages over roasting as judged by crude protein, moisture and minerals. A 6‐day fermentation appears to be the promising method for producing nutritious food from baobab seed.
The leaves of the baobab tree (Adansonia digitata L.) are a staple of populations in many parts of Africa, especially the central region of the continent. Among the people who comprise the Hausa ethnic group in particular, it serves as the main ingredient of a soup called "miyar kuka." However, the literature contains few studies of the nutritional quality of baobab leaf. In the present report, we show that baobab leaf contains 10.6% (dry weight) protein and an amino acid composition which compares favorably to that of an "ideal" protein: valine (5.9%), phenylalanine + tyrosine (9.6%), isoleucine (6.3%), lysine (5.7%), arginine (8.5%), threonine (3.9%), cysteine + methionine (4.8%), tryptophan (1.5%). In terms of mineral content, baobab leaf is an excellent source of calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, and zinc. These data indicate that in terms of both quality and quantity, baobab leaf can serve as a significant protein and mineral source for those populations for whom it is a staple food.
The edible portions of 16 edible wild fruits were analysed for moisture, protein, fat, crude fibre, ash and minerals (Ca, Mg, Fe, P, K, and Na). The total carbohydrate and energy contents were calculated.Trichilia emetica, Strychnos spinosa, Azanza garckeana, Ximenia caffra and Parinari curatellifolia gave the highest levels of protein (17.0%), fat (31.2%), fibre (45.3%), ash (11.2%) and carbohydrate (88.2%), respectively, The highest and lowest energy values were found for Strychnos spinosa (1923 kJ 100 g−1) and Azanza garckeana (810 kJ 100 g−1), respectively. Bauhinia thonningii afforded the highest dry matter content (91.6%).The highest contents of Ca, Mg, Fe, P, K and Na were found for Adansonia digitata (1156 μg g-t-1), Syzigium guineense (2247 μg g−1), Syzigium guineense (758 μg g−1), Trichilia emetica (3164 μg g−1), Ximenia caffra (41 791 μg g−1) and Flacourtia indica (589 μg g−1), respectively.
Introduction. Adansonia digitata L., Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. et Tamarindus indica L. figurent parmi les especes fruitieres de cueillette les plus appreciees par les populations sahelo soudaniennes. Leur role sur le plan nutritionnel et sur la generation de revenus est important. La degradation des ecosystemes constitue une menace sur la ressource en fruits de cueillette et sur la diversite genetique de ces especes. La premiere etape du programme de domestication mis en œuvre au Senegal consiste a en caracteriser la variabilite naturelle, dans le cadre d'une demarche participative visant la selection d'accessions interessantes pour la qualite des fruits. L'objet de cette etude a ete de comparer, pour chacune des especes, les fruits de differentes accessions. Materiel et methodes. Les analyses ont porte sur une caracterisation biometrique des fruits, completee par une analyse chimique sommaire (eau, sucres solubles totaux, acidite libre totale). Resultats et discussion. Pour la totalite des criteres etudies, l'exploitation des donnees a montre des differences significatives entre les accessions au sein de chaque espece. Pour les caracteres biometriques, un gradient decroissant de variabilite apparait selon la sequence: Adansonia vers Tamarindus vers Balanites. Le critere de « valeur reelle de la pulpe » a permis de cibler des accessions plus interessantes que d'autres. Les caracteres chimiques ont presente une moindre variabilite. Conclusions. Les differentes accessions etudiees presentent une variabilite exploitable pour la diffusion aux populations locales de varietes performantes d'especes fruitieres repondant a leurs besoins et a leurs moyens.