The Baobab Tree: A Good Source of Ascorbic Acid

Abstract

In the course of investigating the nutritional value of indigenous foods of Southern Rhodesia, the pulp of the baobab fruit (Adansonia digitata Linn.) was found to contain comparatively high concentrations of ascorbic acid (Carr, 1955). Similar results were obtained by B. M. Nicol (1957) in Northern Nigeria, although the ripe fruit appears heavier and the moisture content higher than the Rhodesian specimens. In view of the encouragingly high quantities of vitamin C determined in a few samples, further investigations were undertaken to see whether any correlation could be found between size, degree of ripeness and moisture content with the ascorbic acid content and also the stability of the vitamin under different conditions.