ISSN: 2410-9649 Jemaneh and Chandravanshi / Chemistry International 7(2) (2021) 112-122 iscientic.org.
112
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Article type:
Research article
Article history:
Received October 2020
Accepted February 2021
April 2021 Issue
Keywords:
Apple fruit
Red apple
Green apple
Essential minerals
Non-essential minerals
Ethiopia
The aim of this study was to evaluate the macro- and micro essential and non-
essential minerals in apple fruits collected from farmland in Wollega, Chencha,
Ankober (Ethiopia) and Addis Ababa which are imported to Ethiopia from South
Africa and Israel. Samples were wet-digested using 3 mL HNO3 and 1 mL HClO4
for 2:15 hours at 210
o
C. Selected metals (Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn, Cu, Al, Zn, Cr, Co, Ni, Cd
and Pb) were determined by microwave plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy.
The validity of optimized procedure was evaluated by the analysis of spiked
samples and recoveries were in 90.8-106% range. The mean concentration range
(mg/kg) of metal in fruit samples were Ca (1065-36275, 1013-36143), Mg (27-
153, 78.3-139), Fe (103-276, 123-241), Mn (13.5-13.7, 11.5-16.3), Cu (5.13-6.56,
4.11-12.6), Al (77.8-129, 52.5-89.6), Zn (41.3-73.6, 47.4-54.4), Cr (6.15-10.04,
6.57-7.14), Co (6.57-7.14, 1.70-2.35), Ni (1.33-2.37, 1.43-7.66), respectively. Cd
and Pb were not detected. Analysis of variance showed significant difference (p =
0.05) in the levels of Cu, Al and Co among sampling sites in green apple fruit
while all the other metals did not show significance difference. Red apple fruit
showed a significance difference in the levels of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cr and Co metal
while the other metals showed insignificance differences. Pearson correlation
coefficients indicated strong, moderate and weak correlation between different
pairs of metals in both the green and red apples.
© 2021 International Scientific Organization: All rights reserved.
Capsule Summary: The macro- and micro essential and non-essential minerals in apple fruits collected from farmland in
Wollega (Ethiopia) and market in Addis Ababa which are imported to Ethiopia from South Africa and Israel were evaluated.
Cite This Article As: D. Jemaneh and B. S. Chandravanshi. Mineral contents of Ethiopian red and green apple fruits: A
comparison with WHO/FAO standards. Chemistry International 7(2) (2021) 112-122.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4572213
INTRODUCTION
Apple tree (Malus pumila) is a member of Rosaceae family. Its
fruits mature on shoots that are more than two years old.
They mature in late summer or autumn depending on the
variety. Apple trees are cultivated worldwide. Apple is a king
of all fruits. It is a sweet and edible fruit. It is one of the most
favorite and popular fruits ever known. Fruits are essential
part of modern diet in almost every society. Fruits and fruit
products are known to be good source of nutrients such as
minerals and vitamins (Nahar et al., 1990). Fruit juices are
Chemistry International 7(2) (2021) 112-122
Mineral contents of Ethiopian red and green apple fruits: A comparison with
WHO/FAO standards
Demisew Jemaneh and Bhagwan Singh Chandravanshi*
Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia
*Corresponding author’s E. mail: bscv2006@yahoo.com
ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT