66                                             PRINCIPES                                                 36
                                                                                                             [Vor. 
           Principes,36(2), 
                           1992, 
                                pp. 66  69
                          Pejibaye Palm Fruit Contribution to
                                               Human Nutrition
          A. Brenco Mrrzrnn, M. Monrnno Ceueos,  FnnNANlEz PTEDRA AND  Mone-Unpi*
                                                                  M.                                 J. 
                            Costa Rican Institute  of Research and Ed,ucation   Health  and Nutrition,
                                                                              of 
                               *School          Box 4. Tres Rtos. Costa Rica  and
                                        of Biology,  Uniaersity of Costa Rica, San      Costa Rrca
                                                                                  Jos6, 
                                                                             respectively. The fat is semisolid at
               Many tropical fruits and vegetables are               9.77o, 
                                                                                                                 fatty
                well                                                 room temperature, since 36% of the 
            not      known in the temperate countries,
                                                                                             and 647o unsaturated
            nor  do they  receive the  attention they                acids are saturated 
                                                                     (497o                         and  15%  poly-
                      in their native countries.                             monounsaturated 
            deserve                                  Among
                          one          great                         unsaturated). A  polyunsaturated index
            them-and           with a         potential-is
            the pejibaye palm (Bactris gasipaes                      (P/S) between 1.0 and 2.2  and a high
            Kunth), also known as peach                  The         monounsaturated fatty  acid content are
                                                 palm. 
            fruit  of this palm can             as                   factors that reduce the risk of cardiovas-
                                      be used       a cereal
                                                                                     (Ernest 
            for human consumption                                    cular disease            and Cleeman 1988,
                                         and has high food
                                                                     Krist-Etherton I9BB); even 
            values for some nutrients.                                                                  though peji-
                                                                           fruit            a low         (0.43) 
               The pejibaye palm has been cultivated                 baye        pulp has           P,/S          half
            and its fruit prepared for food in different             of its fat is monounsaturated.
            ways since pre-Columbian                                                                           ash is
                                            times in some               One third of the pejibaye pulp 
            regions of Bolivia, Brazil,                                                          (229 t  4 mg%).
                                          Colombia, Costa            composed of potassium 
            Rica, Ecuador,                                                                 nutritional value, such
                              Guayanas, Honduras, Nic-               Other minerals of 
            aragua, Panam6, Perri, Trinidad,                                      magnesium, and iron have val-
                                                   and Ven-          as calcium, 
                                                                                     +                        + 
                                                                                                       16.6       4.I
            ezuela. There is evidence that             some               of I5.3        3.9 mgTo, 
                                               during               ues 
            historical periods it                                   mgTo              +  0.0 mgTo respectively in
                                    was the main dietary                    and 0.8 
            staple of  a number                                                 fruit.          content is very low
                                     of  indian tribes. At          the fresh         Sodium 
                                                                    (3.7 +                                          of
                      the first class fruit                                    0.2 mg%). Chemical analyses 
            present,                        is popular and
                   acceptable                                               nutrients were done on cooked fruit
            highly               as a between-meal snack            these 
                                                                                                    used was of the
            and the lower quality-which  represents                 pulp and the methodology 
                                                                                               Analytical Chemists
            around one third ofthe production in Costa              Association of Official 
            Rica-is  used as animal feed.                            1975 for proximal constituents, minerals
                                                                    and fatty            "Dietary 
               Although there is great variability in the                        acids.              fiber"  analysis
            chemical composition                                    was estimated as neutral detergent fiber
                                      of the fruits among
                                                       (Vega        by the Van Soest method modified 
            and within the many landraces known                                                             by Mon-
                                                                            (1982). 
                                                                    geau              The starch 
            1986, Mora-Urpi and Clement 1988)                                                        was estimated
                                                          the
            average result of three native                          colorimetrically by  the  Nielsen method
                                               Costa Rican
                                       (Tucurrique,                 (1943). Details 
           pejibaye populations                          San                             of  the preparation and
                                       (Fern6ndez                   analysis can                             (1988).
           Carlos and Gu6piles)                       1988)                        be found in Fernindez 
           indicates that 58.5 +                                                                                is less
                                       05%  of the edible               Vitamin content in pejibaye pulp 
                     (mesocarp)                     + 
           portion                is water,                                                            but this does
                                             34.2      0.6%          than I7o of its dry weight, 
           is ash. Carbohydrate composition                                                              is unimpor-
                                  "dietary           is vari-       not mean that its contribution 
           able, as starch and               fiber"                                                            of the
                                                    content         tant. This fruit  is famous because 
           ranges 
                     between 19.2-30.2% and 5.3-                                                             present,
                                                                     amount of vitamin A precursors 
                                                                                         FRUIT                                         67
                                                                ET AL.: PEJIBAYE 
                                                  METZLER 
          r9921
                                                                                                                                     per
                                                                                                                          content 
                                                                                                               retinol 
                                                                                                         and 
                                                                                       l.    Energy 
         Adequocy                                                             Table 
                                                                                                                      tortilla, white
                                                                                     of pejibaye              corn 
                                                                              unit                   fruit, 
                80                                                                                        and raw cl,rrot.
                                                                                                bread 
                      !noulr                                                          wheat 
                      fficniro                                                                                     Energy       Retinol
                                                                                     Edible food unit              (Kcal)        (pg)
                                                                                                   (34 g)            66           228
                                                                                         medium 
                                                                              Pejibaye,                              4l             0.9
                                                                                     tortilla (I8  g)
                                                                              Corn 
                                                                                                     (32 g)          9l          zefo
                                                                                              bread 
                                                                              White wheat        (?4                 30        2,368
                                                                              Carrot, mediu'm         g)
                                                                                                                       indicates that
                                                                                                          Figure 1 
                                                                              age was estimated. 
                                                                                                            just                     size
                                                                                                        of        one medium 
                                                                              the consumption 
                                                                                                                           contributes
                                                                                           g         or 34 g edible 
                                                                              fruit  50       total 
                                                                                                                               retinol's
                                                                                                                respective 
                                                                               3O% and76% of their 
                                                                                                                          vitamin C's
                                                                                                              of their 
                                                                                                      6O7o 
                                                                                        40% and 
                                                                               RDA. 
                            Pro-       Fe Vil. 81  82 Mt. Nio-
                      CoF                                                      RDA.
                            tein             A               Ccin
                      ories                                                       The  consumption of  more  than  one
                                                                                                                  which is common
                                                   of the nutrients           fruit-four,       for example, 
          l.   Nutrient adequacy percentage 
                                                    of one medium
                     by the daily consumption 
          provided                                                            in  adults-contributes  87o of their calo-
                                                      and 
                (approx.      g          for  adults       preschool
          fruit           34     edible)                                             47o of the                 47o of the calcium,
                                   children.                                   ries,                protein, 
                                                                               I27o iron, I20%  of the retinol, B7o of
                                                                                                                  82, 160% of the
          although  values  vary  considerably             accord-            vitamin Bl,  247a of the 
                                                                                                                the niacin's RDA.
          ing  to  genotype.  Blanco  et  al.  (1990a)                        vitamin C and l27o of 
          evaluated  four  of  them,  two  from  Costa                            Because the pejibaye fruit  is rich  in
          Rica and two from Colombia, for biological                          starch it can be used as a cereal. A well
                                                                                                                            Rica is to
          availability  of carotenoids in retinol  by the                     known food practice in Costa 
                                                                                                                 "tortilla" 
                                                                                                          corn                 for peji-
          depletion-repletion         method.  The  results                   substitute bread or 
                                                                                                                      to accompany
                                                                just                  fruit,  when in season 
          demonstrated  that the consumption  of                              baye 
                                                                                                                                content
                                                                                           comparison of the caloric 
          one  fruit  from  three  of  those  genotypes                       meals. A 
                                                                                                               (see 
                                                                              of           three staples              Table l)  indi-
          satisfies  the  recommended  adult  daily                                these 
          allowance of vitamin  A. As for the remain-                         cates that it  is superior to tortillas, and
                                                                                                                wheat white bread.
          ing  genotype,  seven fruits  were required.                        carrots, but lower than 
                                                                                                                            rich in oil
              Another  vitamin  that  is present  in  sig-                    However, varieties of pejibaye 
                                                                                                                  value than bread.
                                                                                    have a higher caloric 
          nificant  quantities  in  pejibaye  is ascorbic                     will 
                                                                                                                          is that they
          acid. The average value in raw fruits  is 35                        The signiflcance of these data 
                                                                                                      of pejibaye as a common
          mg% (Wt  Leung and Flores 196l).  But                               stress the value 
          the estimation  of vitamin  C in cooked and                         source of energy.
                                                                                                                     retinol precur-
                                                                                                in the tropics 
                                             made since cook-                     Although 
          stored fruit  still has to be 
                                                                                                            there is a high fre-
          ing  of pejibaye is indispensable and this is                       sors are abundant, 
                                                                                                                     vitamin A. The
                                                                                                                 in 
                                                                                                     deficient 
                                                                                         of diets 
          a water  soluble thermolabile  compound.                            quency 
                                                                                                                                  would
                                                                                                              with pejibaye 
                                                                                                of cereals 
              Based on the  uncooked  pejibaye  anal-                         substitution 
                                                                                                                             this prob-
                                                                                                               that show 
                                                                                         the populations 
          ysis (later  adjustments  according  to  com-                       benefit 
                                                                                                          in Costa Rica vitamin
                                                                                      For example, 
          plete  results  on  cooked  material  have  to                      Iem. 
                                                                                                                              the aver-
                                                                                                                          in 
                                                                                                              nutrient 
                                                                                          most deficient 
          be  done)  and  the  recommended  dietary                           A is the 
                                                                                          (Ministerio                   l986). Table
                                                                                                               Salud 
          allowances (RDA)  (Menchri  1973,  Asp                              age diet                     de 
                                                                                                                           in pejibaye
                                                                                                     retinol contents 
                                                                                               the 
                                                       pre-school              I compares 
                                          men and 
                             for adult 
          lgBB) where                                                                                                          of white
          children,  the  nutrient  adequacy  percent-                        and white corn tortilla with that 
              68                                                          PRINCIPES                                                                 36
                                                                                                                                            [Vor. 
                                                                                                           (fresh 
                       Table 2.  Chernical contposition of                                                            basis of 100 
                                                                                pejibaye                                                   g).
                                                                                               f.our* 
                       Energy, cal                                4I3.5                           Vitamin 82, mg                            0.3
                       Humidity, g                                  t2.o                          Vitamin       mg                         62.2
                                                                                                             C, 
                       Protein, g                                     3.8                         Niacin, mg                                2.5
                       Fat, g                                         8.9                         Iron, mg                                  6.1
                       Ash, g                                         I.3                                     mg                           10.9
                                                                                                  Calcium, 
                       Crude fiber, g                                 2.r                         Sodium, mg                                2.7
                                          g**                                                     Potassium, mg                          162.4
                       Carbohydrates,                               72.1
                       Vitamin A, pg eq                                                                           mg                       I 1.7
                                                                      t.2                         Magnesium, 
                       Vitamin BI, g                                  0.I                         Zinc, mg                                  2.r
                   * Values calculated from fresh pejibaye.
                 ** Carbohydrates by difference.
               bread  and  carrot,  the  last  being  a  well                           tribution of a                    of a                 recipe
                                                                                                             portion             pejibaye 
               known  source of vitamin  A  precursors.                                 is shown in Table 3.
                   Pejibaye  fruit  mesocarp  can  be  made                                 Obviously pejibaye fruit is not a com-
               into  a flour  for  human  and animal feeding.                           plete food. Mineral and protein content
               Flour  has a lower water  content  than  raw                             represent limiting  factors at the present
                                                                                                                                          improved
               material,  10-12%  against 5B7o respec-                                  time. The protein amount can be 
                                             nutrient                                                      in future cultivars, since there
               tively,  consequently                      density almost                considerably 
               doubles.  Estimated  flour  chemical  com-                               are genotypes that produce up to  lB%
               position  is shown in Table  2.                                          protein of the dry weight of the fruit (Vega
                   In  order to promote  the use of the peji-                           1986).
                                                                                            In                        nutritional advantages
               baye fruit  as a regular  component  of the                                      conclusion the 
                                                                                                                fruit  could be summarized
               diet in Costa Rica and other tropical  Latin                             of the pejibaye 
               American  countries,  a booklet  (Blanco  et                             in the following points:
                                was 
               al. I9906)              written containing a num-                        l.  Rich energy source.
               ber of recipes that  were developed taking                                                             A 
               into  consideration  feeding  habits,  cost,                             2.  Rich in vitamin               precursors.
                                                                                                                 "dietary 
               nutritional  value, organoleptic  aspects and                            3. A source of                         fiber."
                                                                                                                      C.
              rural  food availability.  The nutritional  con-                          4.  Rich in vitamin 
                                                                                                                                       fatty  acids
                                                                                        5.  Medium monounsaturated 
                                                                                             source.
              Table  3.                       nutrie^nt  adequacy                                                     (when 
                                .Daily                                                  6.  Poor in sodium                       salt not added)
              percentaget  per  portionz  of  tuna-peji-                                     and rich in potassium.
                                baye  "Picadillo."                                      7.  Rich in complex carbohydrates, there-
                                                     Nutrient adequacy                       fore low in simple sugars.
                   Nutritional   component                    (%)                       8.  Forms part  of  the  feeding habits of
                                                                                             many areas from Honduras to Bolivia.
                         Energy
                         Protein                               5.2                                       Lrrenerunr  Clrno
                         Calcium                               2.9
                         Iron                                  1t
                                                                                        AssocIATIoN oF OFFICIAL ANALYTICAL 
                         Retinol                              18.5                                                                         CHnuIsrs.
                         Thiamin                               4.5                            1975.  (I2th  ed.) Official Method of Analysis
                         Riboflavin                            6.2                            of the ADAC. ADAC, Washington.
                         Niacin                                8.6                     AsP, N.  1988.  Workshop on analysis of dietary
                         Vitamin C                           90.9                            fibre and starch in food samrles. Instituto de
                                                                                                                                   y 
                 r     Daily nutrient                :                                       nutrici6n de Centro Am6rica  Panam6, Gua-
                   %                     adequacy                                            temala City, Guatemala.
                        amount of nutrient,/portion X IOO.                             BLANco, A.,  Muftoz,  L.  el{l  V.  Ganrr.t.             1992.
                                                                                             Contenido y disponibilidad                   de los car-
                             l8  year                                                                                          biol6gica 
                 2                :     man RDA
                   Portion size           grams.                                              otenoides de              (Bactris 
                                      98                                                                     pejibaye              gasipaes), como
          r9921                                 METZLER ET AL.: PEJIBAYE FRUIT                                                69
                fuente de vitamina A. Archivos Latinoamerica-             MoNGEAU, R. eNr  R. BRassenl.  1982.  Deter-
                nos de Nutrici6n. 26      In  Press.                                                detergent fiber in breakfast
                                       p.                                      mination of neutral 
                           er.                                                                                 cellulose and lig-
                     A. nr      19906. Aorovechemos nuestros                                    hemicellulose, 
                                                                               cereal pentose, 
                          (26 formas difeienres de consumir el                         Food 5c.47(2\:150-155.
                pejibayes                                                      nin. 
                                                                                    J. 
                pejibaye). Mimeograph. 85 p.                              MoRA-URpi,  eNo C. R. CrelrrNr.  I988.  Races
                                                                                        J. 
                                                                                                  of               found in  the
                       eno                 1988.  Reducing high                and populations       peach palm 
           ERNEST, N.         Crnruei,l. 
                            J. 
                                                                                        Basin. 1n;    R. Clement and L. Coradin
                blood cholesterol levels: recommendations from                 Amazon              C. 
                                                                               (eds.).      report on               (Bactris ga-
                                                     Program.                         Final            peach palm 
                the National Cholesterol Education              J.
                                                                                                 germplasm          Manaus, 
                      Educ. 20(l\: 23-29.                                      srpaes H.B.K.)                bank.            pp.
                Nutr. 
           FrnnAxltz,  M.  1988.                      las                      78-94.
                                       Definici6n de     caracte-                                        y 
                risticas                        de cuatro                 NTELSEN,         R. Cr-rlmNr,  L. CoRADIN. 1943.
                        quimico-nutricionales               pobla-                  J.,'C. 
                                    (Bactris                                                          of starch. Analyst  l5(3):
                ciones de pejibaye            gasipaes H.B.K.).                Rapid determination 
                M.S. Thesis, University of Costa Rica. 83 p.                   t76-179.
           KRIST-ETHERToN, P. M.  1988.  Beneficial             of        Wu LEUNG, W. AND  Fronns.  196I.  Tabla de
                                                         effect                                  J. 
                                                                                                Alimentos        uso en Am6rica
                monounsaturated oils on            lipids.  Nutr.              Composici6n de              para 
                                          plasma         J. 
                                                                                                      Printing Office, Washing-
                Educ. 20(l): 529.                                              Latina. Government 
           Mrncr(r,  M. T. rr  er.  1973.  Recomendaciones                     ton, D.C. 132 p.
                           diarias      Centro Am6rica y Pan-
                diet6ticas         para                                   Vnc,t,    nr er.  1986.  Aprovechamiento industrial
                                                                                 F. 
                      INCAP. Guatemala. 25 p.                                               (Bactris 
                am6.                                                           de                    gasipaes H.B.K.). Centro
                                                                                  pejibaye 
           MrNrsrERIo nn  Seruo,  DEp,lRreurNto  on                            de  Investigaciones en  Productos  Naturales,
                                                               de
                NurRIcI6N.  1986.  Encuenta Nacional                                                   Rica.      p.
                                                                               Universidad de Costa          300 
                                       Diet6tica I 982. Litografia
                Nutrici6n-Evaluaci6n 
                L6pez Tercero. Costa Rica. 52 p.
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