Chemical characteristics of anacahuita (Cordia boissieri A. DC. Boraginaceae) fruit

We report the nutritional value of anacahuita used as edible fruit by the M exican rural population. Chemical analysis of mesocarp: 18% sugars, sucrose being the most abundant (11%), 1.2% crude protein and 1.15% ash. The endoc arp contains 4 ovoid and acute seeds which represent 3% of the fruit weight and contain 5.4% moisture, 20% crude protein, 59% ether extract, 10% nitro gen free extract, 3% ash, and 2.6% crude fiber. The fatty acids composition of the extracted oil determined by gas chromotograpy showed 39% oleic acid , 37% linoleic acid (of great nutritive importance), and a total content of 78% of unsaturated fatty acids. The content of saturated fatty acids (22%) of the anacahuita is higher than that of soybean but lower than that of co tton seed.