Physical and nutritional characterization of yucca fruits (Yucca mixtecana)

Fruits from some species of yucca are consumed as dietary complement in the arid and semiarid zones of México, although their nutritional information is unknown, which is why it is difficult to understand their nutritional contribution. Yucca mixtecana is distributed in the state of Oaxaca, México, but the fruits together with the rest of the plant are not used. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional properties of mature fruits of Y. mixtecana through a descriptive statistical analysis. The variables in mature fruits of Y. mixtecana were: 1) the partial chemical composition (raw protein, method AOAC 960.52; total sugars, norm NMX-F-132; and lipids, method AOAC 823.03); 2) some specific nutritional properties (total phenols, Folin-Ciocalteu method; and saponins, afrosymmetric method). The content of raw protein (RP) was 2.29 % and of total sugars 1.70 % (dry base). The content of total phenols was 0.63 mg g^-1 equivalents of gallic acid, and of saponins 0.01 mg g^-1. The concentration of total sugars was lower than the fruits of other species of Opuntia (11 %) and of Prosopis alba (2.70 %). The protein content was higher than that of the fruit of Opuntia analyzed (0.39 %), but lower than the fruit of P. alba (7.70 %). The high concentration of RP and the low concentration of total sugars in the fruits of Y. mixtecana, compared to most fruits, make it a fruit with great dietary potential.