ASSESSMENT OF BREADFRUIT CULTIVARS FOR RESISTANT STARCH, DIETARY FIBRE AND ENERGY DENSITY

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is being promoted for increased consumption as a staple for food and nutrition security, improved livelihoods and environmental conservation, especially, in tropical regions such as the Pacific, Africa and the Caribbean where the species is well adapted. The fruit has a high starch content, however, further information is needed on nutritional properties that influence its energy density which could have implications for how it is consumed especially considering the high incidence of diet related non-communicable diseases. This study evaluated dietary fibre; total, resistant and non-resistant starch contents; total and available carbohydrate contents; and energy density of flour from 21 Caribbean and Pacific breadfruit cultivars. There were significant differences (p