Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol 18(1), January 2019, pp 16-24 Nutritional evaluation of Rhus chinensis Mill. (Heimang) and development of value added products Memthoi Devi Heirangkhongjam*,1,2,+ & Iboyaima Singh Ngaseppam1,2 1Department of Fruit and Vegetable Technology, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysuru 570 020, India. 2Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201 002, India. E-mail: +[email protected] Received 16 May 2018; revised 2 August 2018 Rhus chinensis Mill. is a lesser known highly acidic fruit, traditionally used for its digestive properties and treatment of diarrhea, dysentery and gastrointestinal ailments. In this study, physicochemical characteristics and nutritional properties of different parts of the fruit and development of value added products – R. chinensis tablet and R. chinensis candy and their storability were evaluated. Different parts of the fruit were found to have high content of total fibre-seed (25.97%), pulp (22.83%), whole fruit (22.15%), tablet (15.45%) and candy (14.47%), total fat-seed (36.96%), pulp (20.92%), whole fruit (12.97%), tablet (8.24%) and candy (6.13%) and total acidity-pulp (19.94%), whole fruit (7.28%), seed (3.12%), tablet (3.7%) and candy (3.68%). The major organic acids identified were malic acid, citric acid and ascorbic acid, which are documented for the first time. In comparison to whole fruit and seed, fruit pulp showed the maximum activities of antioxidants, total polyphenols and total flavanoids. These findings suggest that R. chinensis fruit can be considered as a potential functional food or functional food ingredient. Keywords: Antioxidant, Functional ingredient, Medicinal plant, Organic acid, Traditional food IPC Code: Int. Cl.18 A61P 17/18, C04B 103/00, A61K 36/00, C08B 3/12 Fruits are not only rich in vital vitamins and minerals, full sun. The average height of the tree ranges from but being fibre rich can also support a healthy 12 to 15 ft and reaches upto 25 ft. The tree flowers digestive system. While fruits in general are during summers and matures in October. It is also considered to be health protective foods, there are known as “September Beauty”. The tree bears several species that produce fruits with exceptionally odd-pinnately compound leaves and creamy-white higher amounts of certain nutrients and, accordingly flowers. It bears tiny seeded fruits in a cluster with a may be more advantageous than others with regards waxy coating. The individual fruit weighing about specific dietary requirements. Despite their potential 16.23±2.66 mg is either orange or red in color at health benefits, such fruits often remain underutilized maturity and contains only one seed with a peculiar necessitating scientific evidence to convince and sharp acidic taste2,3. sensitize the people about their nutritional importance. Manipur has a rich diversity of wild indigenous Underutilized fruit crops are the type of plant species fruits identified in local communities through local 4,5 conventionally used for food, fibre, fodder, oil or names by reason of their uses for food and medicine 1 medicinal values . One such fruit, “Rhus chinensis and R. chinensis local name “Heimang” is one such Mill.” belonging to the family Anacardiaceae, fruit. It is an underutilized fruit due to its non common name “Nutgall tree” or “Chinese sumac” is a extensive use, but the fruit plays a major role in deciduous tree grown abundantly in China, Japan and supplementing the diet of the local inhabitants. North eastern parts of India. It is widely found in However, the traditional herbal healers locally known Manipur state of North-East India, where it is as Maibas and Maibis and other traditional folklore of popularly called “Heimang”. The tree is favorably North-East India use the ripe fruits of R. chinensis for grown in warm temperate to tropical regions. It is best their supposed antiviral, antibacterial, anti-diarrhea, suited in well drained soil with acidic or alkaline in antioxidant and digestive properties6,7. It is also used ——————— in the treatment of intestinal worms, dyspepsia, and 8 *Corresponding author stomach ulcer, and as hair lotion . Nonetheless, HEIRANGKHONGJAM & NGASEPPAM: NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION OF RHUS CHINENSIS AND ITS 17 VALUE ADDED PRODUCTS review of literature indicates the lack of scientific fresh fruits are usually dried and stored to avoid data to support these nutritional and nutraceutical spoilage and future use. However, in order to properties. Moreover, use of R. chinensis fruits as accurately measure its nutritive value, the whole fruits commercial functional food or as food ingredients is were cleaned, dried at 55±5°C in a hot air oven. The virtually non-existent except limited use as an dried fruit was de-seeded in plate mill and passed acidulant in traditional fruit preparations. Therefore, through an aspirator for separation of dry skin cum this study was aimed to enumerate the nutritional pulp from the seeds. Both the fractions were stored in properties of R. chinensis fruit and to develop the airtight glass containers at 4°C until they were value-added products viz., R. chinensis tablet and required for the development of products as well as for R. chinensis candy with minimal expenses without analysis of physicochemical and nutritional properties. losing its taste and nutritional properties. R. chinensis tablet may be consumed as a mouth freshener and Chemicals digestive aid whereas R. chinensis candy as a high The following chemicals procured from Sigma- calorie and nutritious food. In fact, Allopathic Aldrich, Bangalore were used for different laboratory medicine can cure multiple diseases, but its determinations: Aluminium chloride, DPPH (2, 2- unregulated high prices and serious side effects are Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), gallic acid, Folin- letting many people to look for an alternative with Ciocalteu's reagent, Tripydyltriazine (TPTZ), ferric minimal cost and little or no side effects. Also about chloride (FeCl3 • 6H2O), rutin, malic acid, ascorbic 25 % of drug prescriptions are produced from natural acid, citric acid, fumaric acid and oxalic acid. 9 sources . Due to this, within the last couple of Preparation and evaluation of value-added products decades, the traditional medicinal plants/herbal The value added products of R. chinensis fruit were therapy has regained its prominence. Apart from formulated as per the procedure of Ayurvedic traditional medicinal use, some select high value Formulary of India14. medicinal plants act as an alternate source of income and employment generator for the local tribal R. chinensis tablet community in the region10. Moreover, Ministry of After trial experiments, fruit pulp powder (40%) was AYUSH and the government have undertaken mixed with other finely powdered ingredients namely several projects to start food industries and provide garlic (Allium sativum L., 17%), black pepper (Piper financial assistance to farmers to grow aromatic and nigrum L., 17%), black salt (9%), salt (4%) and sugar medicinal plants11,12. (13%) in fixed ratio to enhance the palatability and Materials and methods Authentication and plant material This study concentrates on the North-East India's traditional herbal healers' usage of R. chinensis. A field study was conducted to collect various information on traditional uses of R. chinensis according to the methodology of Jain13. For collection of the plant species, field visit was done accompanying local herbal practitioners at Bishnupur District, Manipur during October 2017. Then a voucher specimen of the plant was prepared and sent to Botanical Survey of India, Eastern Region Centre, Shillong, India. It was later verified and authenticated by Dr AA Mao, Scientist-F, Head of Department and Dr Chaya Deori, Scientist-D, Herbarium Incharge bearing accession number BSI/ERC/Tech/2017- 18/699 (Fig. 1). Dried fruits are normally used as ingredients in local Fig. 1 — R. chinensis tree and different parts of R. chinensis fruit; culinary preparations instead of fresh fruits. Hence, the a. R. chinensis tree; b. whole fruit; c. pulp; d. seed. 18 INDIAN J TRADIT KNOWLE, JANUARY 2019 sensorial acceptability. In addition to this, 1% of guar method18. Total soluble solids (TSS, oBrix) content gum was added as a binding material, and tablets of was determined by using digital refractometer 10 mm diameter were made by using a hand operated (RX-5000 ATAGO) while pH was measured using mold. The prepared tablets were packed in an airtight pH tester_30 (Eutech Instruments, OAKTON). Total glass container and stored at room temperature titratable acidity (TTA%) of the samples was (25±5°C) to observe physicochemical changes. determined by titration method19, and expressed as anhydrous citric acid equivalent (% w/w). Reducing R. chinensis candy sugars were estimated by the Dinitrosalicylic Acid The candy was prepared by mixing the dried pulp method, and absorbance was read at 510 nm with powder (45%) with predetermined calculated 20 glucose as a standard for the calibration curve . quantities of other ingredients namely, jaggery (50%), chilli (0.4%), salt (4%), black salt (0.6%) and mixed Preparation of extracts with aqueous, methanol, thoroughly. In the preparation process, jaggery was ethanol, and acetone suspended in a little water in a thick round bottom Two g of the sample was extracted in 40 mL stainless stain vessel and boiled until melting into soft distilled water with 2 h intermittent shaking. The ball stage. The product mixture was then added to the solution was collected and centrifuged at 3,000 × g for boiling jaggery and continued heating with vigorous 10 min. Then, the filtrate was concentrated in rotary stirring till the product become a soft lump. The vacuum evaporator at 45°C for 20 min at 70 rpm, and prepared lump was then poured into a greased the concentrated residue was dissolved in 20 mL stainless steel plate, molded into the desired shapes distilled water and finally stored at 4°C. The same and sizes and stored in an airtight glass container and procedure was carried out for other solvents (80% stored at room temperature to observe methanol, ethanol, and acetone).