Phytochemical

Tomatoes contribute to healthy, well-balanced diet. They are rich in minerals, vitamins, essential amino acids, sugar and dietary fibres. It contains much vitamin B and C, iron and phosphorus. Tomato fruits are consumed fresh in salads or cooked in sauces, soup and meat or fish dishes. Phytochemical compounds are desirable compounds in our food because of their antioxidant properties. The study of phytochemical and proximate evaluation of fresh and spoilt tomatoes fruits obtained from five markets in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria was carried out.

Cola rostrata and Cola parchycarpa are under-utilized indigenous kola plants, known as achicha by the Igbo natives in Nigeria, whose fruit pulps are edible and tasty. The proximate, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals constituent of the fruit epicarp, fruit pulp and seed of C. rostrata and C. parchycarpa were evaluated using standard analytical laboratory procedures. The results revealed that C. rostrata and C. parchycarpa fruit pulps contained high moisture contents (56.56 % and 58.83 %) and carbohydrates (31.30 % and 55.39 %) respectively.