Chemical composition of white (Morus alba), red (Morus rubra) and black (Morus nigra) mulberry fruits

In this study, the chemical composition of white (Morus alba L.), red (Mortis rubra L.) and black (Morus nigra L.) mulberry fruits grown in the East Anatolia Region of Turkey was investigated. The highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents were observed in black mulberry (1422 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g fresh matter and 276 mg quercetin equivalents/100 g fresh matter). M. alba had the highest total fat content (1.10%), followed by M. nigra (0.95%) and M rubra (0.85%), respectively. The major fatty acids in mulberry fruits were linoleic acid (54.2%), palmitic acid (19.8%) and oleic acid (8.41%), respectively. The total soluble solids content of mulberry species varied between 15.9% (M. rubra L.) and 20.4% (M. alba L.), acidity between 0.25% (M alba L.) and 1.40% (M nigra L.), pH between 3.52 (M. nigra L.) and 5.60 (M. alba L.), ascorbic acid 19.4 mg/100 g (M. rubra L.) and 22.4 mg/100 g (M alba L.), respectively. Mineral compositions of the mulberry species were 0.83% N, 235 mg/100 g P, 1141 mg/100 g K, 139 mg/100 g Ca, 109 mg/100 g Mg, 60 mg/100 g Na, 4.3 mg/100 g Fe, 0.4 mg/100 g Cu, 4.0 mg/100 g Mn and 3.1 mg/100 g Zn, respectively. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.