Nutritional Profiling and Value Addition Potential of Underutilized Indigenous Fruits in Taraba State

Nigeria's forests and agroforestry landscapes harbor a rich diversity of indigenous fruit species that are nutritionally rich yet commercially underutilized. In Taraba State, located in the North East geopolitical zone, fruits such as bush mango (Irvingia gabonensis), tamarind (Tamarindus indica), and wild loquat (Uapaca spp.) are consumed locally but receive minimal scientific attention or commercial development. This study profiles the nutritional composition and evaluates the value addition potential of five underutilized indigenous fruit species in Taraba State. Fruits were sampled from rural communities in three local government areas and analyzed for proximate composition, vitamin content (A, C, and B complex), mineral content, and antioxidant activity. Semi-structured interviews with 60 community members were conducted to document traditional uses and processing knowledge. Results indicate that tamarind exhibited the highest vitamin C and antioxidant activity, while bush mango seeds showed exceptional fat and protein content with strong potential for cosmetic and food processing applications. The study concludes that these underutilized species represent significant nutritional and economic resources that remain largely untapped in Taraba State. Recommendations include integrating underutilized fruit species into state extension programs and food processing enterprise development initiatives. Keywords: underutilized fruits, nutritional profiling, value addition, Taraba State, indigenous fruits