Identification of volatile constituents, antioxidant activity, and trace metal content of Muntingia calabura fruits

Muntingia calabura is a fast-growing evergreen tree that is commonly found in tropical parts of Asia and South America. Various parts of the M. calabura tree are used by locals as traditional medicine and delicacies. This study aims to profile the volatile composition of the M. calabura fruits using Solid Phase Microextraction coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, determine its antioxidant activity using DPPH Assay, and determine its Iron and Zinc content. Thirty-five compounds were identified in fresh red M. calabura samples, 26 of it are only found in the red fruits. Eighteen compounds were identfied in fresh yellow samples, 7 of which are only found in the yellow fruits. Seven compounds were detected in fresh green samples, 4 of which are only found in the green fruits. In the DPPH Assay, the IC50 value of freeze-dried red M. calabura samples was found to be 0.4633 mg mL-1. On the other hand, the mean concentration of Fe in freeze-dried red M. calabura sample is 2.7033 mg/kg, while that of Zn is 1.5657 mg/kg. This shows that M. calabura fruit can be an alternative source of Fe and Zn for the human diet