Comparative Analysis of Nutritional and Vitamin Content of Sweet Orange, Watermelon and Pineapple Fruits

Abstract

The aim of this study is a comparative analysis of the nutritional and vitamin composition of sweet orange, watermelon and pineapple fruits. The fruit samples used in the study were purchased from eke Awka market and the standard AOAC method was utilized in the determination of the proximate compositions while spectrophotometer was used in determining the vitamin and mineral concentrations. The result showed moisture content as 94.00, 92.50 and 95.00%, ash (2.33, 3.62 and 2.50%), crude fiber (0.00, 0.03 and 0.00%), protein (0.64, 0.24 and 0.80%), fats and oil (0.35, 0.15 and 0.47%) and carbohydrates (2.68, 3.46 and 1.23%), calcium as 26.05, 66.70 and 65.93mg/100g), iron (3.11, 0.91 and 1.77mg/100g), magnesium (28.5, 24.32 and 46.21mg/100g), phosphorus (172.80, 181.00 and 179.30mg/100g) and zinc (3.50, 4.80 and 7.05mg/100g), vitamin A content as (0.13, 0.77 and 1.40mg/100g), vitamin C (28.92, 20.74 and 14.25mg/100g), vitamin D (3.44, 2.18 and 7.50mg/100g) and vitamin E (21.60, 13.30 and 37.50mg/100g) for sweet orange, watermelon and pineapple fruit juice. The result showed that sweet orange, watermelon and pineapple fruits contain enough vitamin C which is an antioxidant vitamin essential for human health and thus there is need to increase the consumption of these fruits by all household and also industrial utilization of the fruits in the production of food and drug products are recommended.