UNVEILING THE NUTRITIONAL POTENTIAL OF STAR FRUIT (Averrhoa carambola): IN VITRO BIOACCESSIBILITY STUDY

Abstract

A method was developed for quantifying the concentrations of Ca, Fe, Mg, and Zn in star fruit. An in vitro assay was used to evaluate the bioaccessibility of these elements after a simulated gastrointestinal digestion. The results showed that the total elemental concentration in star fruit were 78-186.2 mg kg-1 for Ca, 92.1-148.1 mg kg-1 for Mg, below the limit of detection for Fe and Zn. The bioaccessibility of Ca and Mg was 40 and 58%, respectively. These bioaccessibility percentages were attributed to the presence of an antinutrient in star fruit that promotes precipitation of insoluble compounds during the in vitro assay. Based on the data from gastrointestinal digestion assay, it is possible to conclude that star fruit intake can supply 1.6-2.04% and 11.2-19.6% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of Ca and Mg, respectively.