Sustainable diets and biodiversity

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can significantly affect nutritional values and

health beneficial attributes of fruits qualitatively

and quantitatively. Influence of geographical con-

ditions on the nutritional composition and antiox-

idant properties of dabai fruits is unknown.

Moreover, apparently there are two varieties of

dabai fruits found: the commonly available purple

dabai fruit and the less common red dabai fruit.

This study was therefore designed to determine

and compare the nutritional composition and an-

tioxidant properties of dabai fruits from different

divisions of Sarawak, as well as between the two

varieties. Thus, this study plays a significant part

in the achievement of the MDGs, especially to

eradicate extreme poverty and hunger (Goal 1)

and to ensure environmental sustainability (Goal

7) in developing countries like Malaysia. This

study contributes to the enhancement of liveli-

hood and income of the rural poor. Scientific evi-

dence for the health benefits of dabai fruits in

addition to their nutritional quality will provide

added value to the fruits. Moreover, this study

contributes to the mitigation of environmental

degradation by conserving and safeguarding the

genetic resources with sustainable use of the nat-

ural resources.

2. Proximate composition

Proximate composition (g/100 g FW) of dabai fruits

from different growing areas is given in Table 1.

Lipid was the major macronutrient of dabai fruits

and did not differ among fruits from different grow-

ing areas (21.16–25.76 g/100 g FW). Moisture ac-

counted for 50.44–51.91 percent by FW while ash

content was 1.66–1.89 g/100 g FW. Both moisture

and ash contents did not differ among dabai fruits

collected from different growing areas. Results also

demonstrated that the red variety showed no differ-

ence from the purple variety in terms of their lipid,

moisture and ash contents.

Table 1.Nutritional composition of dabai fruits from different growing areas.

Purple dabai fruits Red dabai fruits

Nutritional

composition* Kanowit Kapit Song Sarikei

Moisture 51. 3 0±0.9 3 a 5 1.11±1.10a 50.44±0.76a 51.91±0.88a

(50.13–52.97)(49.26–53.08)(48.78–51.70)(50.92–52.60)

Total available

carbohydrate 4.45±0.83b 5.07±0.82b 8.97±2.21a 9.16±0.15a

(3.57–5.50) (3.89–5.84) (6.11–12.51) (8.99–9.27)

Protein 5.20±0.87a 4 .56±0.87a,b 4.35±1.15a,b 3.45±0.64b

(3.75–6.22) (3.08–5.65)(2.69–6.68)(2.78–4.04)

Lipid 25.76± 3 .03a 2 1.16±4.71a 24.47±2.76a 23 .72±1.11a

(22.30–29.51)(14.57–26.01)(20.91–29.04)(23.08–25.01)

Ash 1. 8 9± 0 .08a 1. 88 ± 0 .42a 1.66± 0 .26a 1.7 8 ± 0 .17a

(1.77–1.95) (1.46–2.42)(1.34–2.00)(1.66–1.90)

*g/100 g fresh weight. Results are expressed in mean±SD and (range).

Values with different letters are significantly different at p < 0.05 within the same row.