Food applications of Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry- Lecomte ex. O’Rorke) Baill. the ‘bush mango’: A review

Irvingia gabonensis, also known as ‘bush mango’, is a multipurpose fruit tree, native to tropicalAfrica. It is a priority indigenous fruit tree in western and central Africa since its wood is used formaking utensils and fruits are mostly used as food and medicine. The objective of this work is toprovide an updated review of the available knowledge about physicochemical characteristics ofI. gabonensis fruit in order to evaluate its potential use in the food industry. The fruit mesocarpcontains various phytochemicals and ascorbic acid concentration higher than some vitamin C richfruits, then it is consumed fresh or dried, used to produce juice and wine, or as a flavourant.I. gabonensis fruit kernel is rich in oil (63%–69% crude fat), mainly composed of myristic and lauricacids. Its triacylglycerol composition and, resultantly, melting curve and polymorphism indicate anaptitude for diverse applications, as it is solid at room temperature. Forty-one phenolic compoundswere identified in the seeds and derived extracts and supplements, being ellagic acid andits derivates the most present. This review enhances our knowledge about nutritional content andhealth benefits of I. gabonensis whole fruit, especially its pulp and seed, evidencing the need forsafer and more efficient production of value-added products.