Abstract

Antioxidants are beneficial compounds found in a lot of foods. Cordia africana (Lam.) is a small fruit eaten all over Tigray and other parts of Ethiopia. The fruit was tested for its antioxidant content using the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and total phenols (TP) measured with Folin Ciocalteu`s reagent, across four different agroecological zones and three land use classes in Tigray. The average FRAP value on dry weight basis was 30.8 ± 1.45 mg Trolox equivalent 100 g^-1 fruit, and the average TP value on dry weight basis 2317.0 ± 104.0 mg gallic acid equivalent 100 g^-1 fruit. Both FRAP and TP values were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) different across the agroecology with the lower altitude agroecology giving the highest value and the dry mid altitude agroecology giving the least value. The difference in land use showed no effect on the FRAP value; however the TP values were significantly (p < 0.01) different across the different land use. The highest value of TP was found in the wild and the lowest was found in the backyard land uses. C. africana is a fruit with good quantities of TP, and small amounts of antioxidants measured with FRAP. Both FRAP and TP values showed variation across agroecology, while only the TP content vary across land use. The fruit was also found to have 9.07 mg 100 g ^-1 fruit, which makes it a good source of the vitamin to meet part of the daily requirement. As antioxidants and vitamin C are highly beneficial to general health, the consumption of this fruit should thus be recommended and promoted.

Key words: Cordia africana fruit, ferric reducing antioxidant power, total phenol, agroecology, land use.

Abbreviation

Abbreviations: ANOVA, Analysis of variance; FRAP, ferric reducing antioxidant power; TP, total phenol measured with Folin Ciocalteu`s reagent; m.a.s.l., meters above sea level; DW, dry weight basis; TE, trolox (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid) equivalent; GAE, gallic acid equivalent.