Fonio (Digitaria exilis) landraces in Mali: Nutrient and phytate content, genetic diversity and effect of processing

• Published in: Journal of food composition and analysis Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 134 - 143
• Main Authors: Koreissi-Dembélé, Yara, Fanou-Fogny, Nadia, Hulshof, Paul J.M., Brouwer, Inge D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Inc 01.03.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: amplified fragment length polymorphism; Antinutrients; bioavailability; Biodiversity and horticulture; Biological and medical sciences; Cultivar differences; Digitaria exilis; farmers; fermentation; Fonio; Food analysis; Food composition; Food industries; food security; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; genetic variation; Iron; iron absorption; landraces; Mali; Methods of analysis, processing and quality control, regulation, standards; nutrient content; Nutrient retention after food processing; paddies; parboiling; phosphorus; Phytate; phytic acid; protein; rice; west-africa; Zinc; Mali; Cultivar differences; Nutrient retention after food processing; Fonio; Mali; Phytate; Biodiversity and horticulture; Antinutrients; Digitaria exilis; Iron; Food composition; Food analysis; Zinc; Genetic variability; Horticulture; Landrace(plant); Genetic diversity; Biodiversity; Retention; Inorganic element; Heavy metal; Analysis; Nutrient; Food
• ISSN: 0889-1575; 1096-0481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2012.07.010

The study aimed to assess (i) the genetic diversity of fonio (Digitaria exilis) landraces in Mali, (ii) the nutrient and phytate content in fonio products and (iii) the effect of processing on nutrient content of fonio products. Twelve fonio landraces were collected from farmers in central and southern regions of Mali (10kg/farmer/landrace in paddy form), cleaned and processed in laboratory into paddy, mid wet, cooked and parboiled fonio. Proximate and nutrient composition were determined using the standard AOAC methods. Three genetic groups were identified and between-individual race variation was observed in one group using the Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs) method. Mean iron, zinc and phytate concentrations in paddy were 34.6mg/100g, 3.2mg/100g and 513.7mg/100g dry weight. Processing reduced significantly iron, zinc and phytate content to 1.3mg/100g, 2.2mg/100g and 129.2mg/100g dry weight. [Phytate]/[iron] molar ratio in processed products was above the critical value of 1, suggesting poor iron absorption. Parboiling did not reduce iron and zinc losses due to processing.