CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE IN NATURA AND DRIED FRACTIONS OF LITCHI: NUTRITIONAL POTENTIAL OF BY-PRODUCTS

The litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is a plant of the family Sapindacea, perfectly adapted to Brazilian climatic conditions and little studied in relation to the chemical composition of its fruits, especially the skin and seed fractions which are usually discarded by industry and consumers. The aim of this work was to determine the chemical constituents of the fresh fractions of the skin, pulp and seed, and of the drying fractions of the seed and skin at 45 degrees C. Each fraction was evaluated in seven replicates (20 fruits), in which the weight and the proportion of each fraction, centesimal composition, total energy value (TEV), soluble solids, pH and titratable acidity. The skin and seed fractions of litchi together represent almost 50% of the weight of the fruit and have high levels of carbohydrates and TEV. The skin has the highest fiber content (crude and food), lipids, ash and protein. The pulp has higher acidity, lower pH and higher soluble solids content. The drying process increased the pH of the seed and the soluble solids content in the skin and seed. The litchi fractions have high energetic and nutritional levels, they can be utilized as an alternative source of nutrients as long as they do not have antinutritional factors in quantities that might be harmful to the body.