Sheng-Feng Hung ^a, Su-Feng Roan ^b, Tsu-Liang Chang ^c, Hen-Biau King ^d, Iou-Zen Chen ^c,*

^a Hengchun Research Center, Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Hengchun, Pingtung, Taiwan
^b Department of Horticulture and Biotechnology, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan
^c Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
^d The Jane Goodall Institute, Taiwan., Taipei, Taiwan

 

Diospyros blancoi A. DC. is an evergreen tree species of high-quality wood. Mabolo, the fruit of this plant, is popular among the natives in Taiwan, but its potential in economic use has not been fully explored. Mabolo has a rich aroma. Of the 39 different volatile compounds isolated, its intact fruit and peel were found to both contain 24 compounds, whereas the pulp contained 28 compounds. The most important aroma compounds were esters and α-farnesene. Our data show that mabolo is rich in dietary fiber (3.2%), and the contents of other nutrients such as malic acid, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, folic acid, pantothenic acid, and choline chloride were 227.1 mg/100 g, 0.075 mg/100 g, 0.157 mg/100 g, 0.623 mg/100 g, 0.19 mg/100 g, and 62.52 mg/100 g, respectively. Moreover, it is rich in calcium and zinc; the contents of which were found to be 42.8 mg/100 g and 3.6 mg/100 g, respectively. Our results show that D. blancoi has the potential to be bred for a novel fruit.

 

Keywords: Diospyros discolor Diospyros philippensis, ethnobotany, novel fruit, velvet apple