The carotenoids of the fruit pulp of palmyrah (Borassus flabellifer) fromHambantota

Abstract

The Hambantota district has relatively new plantations of palmyrah {Borassus flabellifer) andappear to be the future for industrial products from this tree. The tree with morphological typeIIB fruit dominates plantations (>90%). Specimens of this type were selected for carotenoidanalysis. Total carotenoid content was relatively low; 15.5 to 35.4 mg 100g-1 on the basis of dryweight (DW). Carotenoids were dominated by those of the hydrocarbon type. No oxygenatedcarotenoids were detected in the petroleum ether and diethyl ether extracts. Highest contentsof carotenoids were phytofluene; from 2.8 to 4.8 mg100g-1 DW, phytoene from 5.7 to 10.3mg100g-1'DW and unidentified carotenoids I, II, III and IV from 0.7 to 1.9 mg100g-1 DW, 0.7to 3.4mg100g-1 DW, 4.7 to I6.4mg100g-1 DW and 0.6 to 1.1 mg100g-1 DW respectively. ß-Carotene and ?-Carotene were present in traces. Retinol equivalent (RE) was negligible. As isusual for palmyrah, lycopene and the right fork of carotenoid biosynthesis pathway were absent.

Key words: Palmyrah, Fruit Pulp, Borassus flabellifer, Carotenoids