NUTRITIONAL-VALUE OF EDIBLE FRUITS OF INDIGENOUS WILD TREES IN MALAWI

The edible portions of 16 edible wild fruits were analysed for moistur e, protein, fat, crude fibre, ash and minerals (Ca, Mg, Fe, P, K, and Na). The total carbohydrate and energy contents were calculated. Trich ilia emetica, Strychnos spinosa, Azanza garckeana, Ximenia caffra and Parinari curatellifolia gave the highest levels of protein (17.0%), fa t (31.2%), fibre (45.3%), ash (11.2%) and carbohydrate (88.2%), respec tively. The highest and lowest energy values were found for Strychnos spinosa (1923 kJ 100 g-1) and Azanza garckeana (810 kJ 100 g-1), respe ctively. 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 mug g-1), Syzigium guineense (2247 mug g-1), Syzigium guineense (758 mug g-1), Trichilia emetica (3164 mug g-1), X imenia caffra (41 79 1 mug g-1) and Flacourtia indica (589 mug g-1), r espectively.