The rising demand for nutritious and functional foods has spurred interest in underutilized natural resources to enhance consumer nutritional security. This study investigates the nutritional and functional properties of fruits from five wild Wild mulberry landraces (WM1–WM5) collected from Gilgit, Pakistan. The fruits were analyazed for pH, soluble solids titratable acidity, moisture, protein, fibre, ash, ascorbic acid, total sugar, anthocyanins, flavonoids, carotenoids, total phenolics and antioxidants activity. Results indicated pH values ranging from 3.62- 6.79, total soluble solids at 14.14 –17.06 °Brix, titratable acidity between 0.17–0.28%, moisture content of 62.65–81.7%. Protein, fiber and ash content ranged from 0.85–1.66%, 6.83–10.88%, and 0.351–0.672%, respectively. Ascorbic acid levels varied between 12.41–21.09 mg/100 g, total sugars 5.7–9.86 mg/100 g, anthocyanins 9.72–12.27 mg/100 g, flavonoids 71.64–81.9 mg/100 g, carotenoids 0.65–1.04 mg/100 g, and total phenolics 16.35–31.29 mg/100 g. Antioxidant activity, measured as DPPH scavenging, ranged from 70.99–87%. These results are comparable with reported values of common edible mulberry. These findings underscore the nutritional and functional richness of wild mulberry fruits, presenting them as a promising resource for food and feed applications. The study provides critical baseline data to support the development of value-added products and establish a wild mulberry value chain, fostering socioeconomic growth in mountain communities.
Sartaj Ali, Syed Munir Hussain, Azhar Hussain, Shamsher Ali and Douglas Law