Annona Species Monograph.pdf - Crops for the Future

Chapter 6. Properties
person (with normal activity) needs 10-15% proteins, 25-35% lipids and 50-
60% carbohydrates in the diet (all percentages are related to total caloric
intake per day). So, if we consider that 1 g of protein, lipids or carbohydrates
gives 4, 9 and 4 kcal, respectively (in a 2,800 kcal diet), the total diet must
have approximately 70-105 g protein, 77-103 g lipids and 350-420 g
carbohydrates to be well balanced. Animal or plant protein, calcium and
vitamin D are also very important, but plant proteins do not have all the
essential amino acids for human diets (Kalil et al., 1979).
The nutritional value of annonas is not very high because their nutrient
content is not high, contrary to some assertions in the literature. The
carbohydrate content is reasonable and explains why some authors have
referred to annonas as being fruits with high caloric value. Although the pulp
is not nutritionally important, it is flavourful and is reasonably rich in
minerals and vitamins, making it an agreeable input to a healthy diet.
Cherimoya, soursop and sugar apple are the most widely consumed species
and, consequently, more is known about their nutritional composition. The
chemical-nutritional content of custard apple is only reported by Wu Leung
and Flores (1961) and Zayas (1966). Even less is known about the chemicalnutritional
content of wild soursop, except for its high content of vitamin C
and moderate levels of minerals (FAO, 1988). Known chemical composition
of 4 species is shown in Table 6.1 and should be referred to as an adjunct to
the text below.
Cherimoya is commonly eaten fresh as a dessert fruit. It can also be pureed
and used as a sauce. In Chile, it is commonly used for ice cream. The flesh is
white, melting in texture, and moderately juicy. The flavour is sweet and
delicate, suggestive of pineapple and banana. The edible portion corresponds
to 60% of the fruit weight. The physical-chemical analysis of the pulp varies
among varieties and according to the horticultural practices and the climate
where it is cultivated. In general, the pulp carbohydrate content is high, while
acidity is low (Table 6.1).
The sugar content represents a mix of fructose, glucose (11.75%) and sucrose
(9.4%). The fibre combines cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and pectic
substances. The degree of ripening does not interfere in this proportion,
suggesting that fibre content is determined early in ontogeny. The protein
percentage is reported to be the highest among commercially important
annonas (Popenoe, 1974 a), but this is not very important nutritionally.
Various volatile hydrocarbons, such as esters, alcohols, carbonyls and other
compounds, are responsible for pulp flavour and aroma (Idstein et al., 1984).
38