Research Article published by MDPI
Wild fruits are commonly consumed in the rural communities of SouthAfrica. The information
on their nutritionally important fatty acids is, however, limited. Threewild fruit species, Diospyros blancoi,
Landolphia kirkii and Sclerocarya birrea from Limpopo Province were selected for evaluation of fatty
acid content. Fatty acids composition of dried fruits of Diospyros blancoi (Db), Landolphia kirkii (Lk)
and ripe and/or overripe Sclerocarya birrea (Sb) were evaluated by a gas chromatography-time of
flight-mass spectrometer (GC-TOF-MS). Hexadecanoic acid (C16:0) was found in highest abundance
in L. kirkii (57.73–73.55%), followed by S. birrea (55.92–71.31%) and D. blancoi (46.31–62.05%),
respectively. Octadecanoic acid (C18:0) was of second highest abundance, with 24.71–100% in D. blancoi,
L. kirkii (31.03–41.60%) and S. birrea (9.11–17.0%). The 9-octadecenoic acid (C18:1n-9) was the major
unsaturated fatty acid in both S. birrea (5.33–18.82%), D. blancoi (8.22–8.92%), and L. kirkii (3.84–8.63%).
The 9,-12-octadecadienoic acid (C18:2n-6) was the major unsaturated fatty acid in D. blancoi (22.34%).
The 9,-12,-15-octadecatrienoic acid (C18:3n-3) was found in L. kirkii (3.51%) and S. birrea (2.79%). From
the results, saturated fatty acids were the most dominant, whereas mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty
acids were the minor constituents. Therefore, presence of nutritionally important essential fatty acids
from S. birrea, D. blancoi and L. kirkii has been shown.