Title : Nutritional profiling of indigenous loquat (Eriobotrya Japonica) varieties of Pakistan
Abstract:
Loquat (Eriobotrya Japonica) fruit exhibits a wide spectrum of therapeutic potential, primarily attributed to its versatile nutritional composition. This study focused on the evaluation of the nutritional aspects of five different varieties, including Golden Nugget, Pale Yellow, Champagne, Mardan Selection-grafted on Quince (Cydonia) and Mardan Selection-grafted on Loquat (rootstock), sourced from Haripur, Pakistan. The morphological characteristics revealed that varieties differ in terms of fruit and seed’s size, shape and color. The highest pulp yield was delivered by Mardan Selection varieties. All the varieties were high in moisture, with differences among them (84.11±0.33 to 88.16±0.66 g/100 g). Ash and crude fat contents were high in Mardan selection grafted on Loquat, exhibiting contents of 0.69± 0.14, 0.81±0.07 g/100 g, respectively. Crude protein content ranged from the lowest content of 0.42±0.05 in Golden Nugget to the highest 0.72±0.23 g/100 g in Champagne. The concentrations of crude fiber, nitrogen-free extracts and dry matter were high in Mardan Selection-grafted on Quince with the amounts of 1.65±0.2, 12.65±0.58, and 15.88±0.33 g/100 g, respectively. pH value varied among varieties, with the highest in Pale yellow (4.31±0.13) and lowest in Champagne (3.46±0.13). Titratable acidity (0.66±0.09 to 0.76±0.03) and maturity index (18.46±0.57 to 19.94±2.48) displayed slight variation amidst all varieties. The varieties demonstrated adequate total soluble solids ranged between 12.06±0.89 to 14.56±0.28 Brix ͦ, and the remarkable energy value of 57.15±2.44 kcal/100 g was assessed in Mardan Selection-grafted on Loquat. All the varieties showed significant phenolic (116.9±0.66 to 201.9±0.82 mg GAE/100 g fresh weight) and flavonoid contents (189.86±0.96 to 324.13±0.47 mg QE/100 g fresh weight), with differences across them; however, DPPH scavenging activity was substantial in Champagne (60.19±0.92%). Furthermore, this research revealed that low quantities of iron (0.29±0.00 to 1.10±0.00 mg/100 g) and phosphorus (4.44±0.00 to 5.26±0.00 mg/100 g) were found in loquat varieties, while potassium (59.17±0.00 to 88.70±0.15 mg/100 g), sodium (39.45±0.01 to 74.40±0.00 mg/100 g), and calcium (21.89±0.00 to 33.035±0.00 mg/100 g) were in high concentrations with marked variances between them. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) detected multiple functional groups in loquat varieties, mainly including hydroxyl, amine, ether, alkane, and carboxylate groups, and glycosidic linkages. The Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling identified considerable variations in the phytochemical composition among varieties, with Mardan Selection-grafted on Quince exhibiting the richest bioactive composition, notably 2-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone, 2,4-di-tertbutylphenol, and 5-HydroxyMethylFurfural (HMF), whereas other varieties contained comparatively lower levels of flavour and antioxidant-related metabolites. Succinctly, Mardan Selection-grafted on Quince and Mardan Selection-grafted on Rootstock (Loquat) showed superior nutritional aspects such as low moisture, high yield and better morphological characteristics, several minerals, and bioactive compounds composition. In contrast, Pale Yellow and Champagne exhibited conspicuous antioxidant properties.
