The Nutritional Value of Wild Fruits from the North Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the nutrient composition of some wild fruit species such as English hawthorn (Crateagus oxyacantha), common barberry (Berberis vulgaris), sea backthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), rowanberry (Sorbus aucuparia), wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca), cornelian cherry (Cornus mas), Japanese persimmon (Diospyros lotus), medlar (Mespilus germanica) and strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) grown naturally in Northeastern Anatolia. Some properties of these species, including % moisture, protein, ash, total dry matter, total soluble solids, total sugar, reducing sugar, ascorbic acid, total acidity, pH and some minerals (P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn) were determined. Results of this study showed that the nutritional values of the wild fruit species investigated were considerably high, therefore, it can be suggested that these species should be cultured to have more benefit.