Contribution des produits de cueillette dans l'alimentation humaine. Cas de Detarium microcarpum

The fruits of Detarium microcarpum are very much appreciated during the hot dry season by Malian consumers. Therefore, we tried to assess their food values and physicochemical properties according to the pedoclimatic diversity in Mali. An ethnobotanical survey on the food values was carried out with the bobofing, senoufo and minianka ethnic groups in southern Mali. Thirty samples of fruits were analyzed in the laboratory for taste, food sugar, proteins, dry matter, vitamin C and pH. Correlations were established between these parameters and fruit dimensions. Results show that the fruits of D. microcarpum are very much used for food. They also show that these fruits can constitute a source of plant proteins and sugar. The local knowledge and the physicochemical parameters of D. microcarpum fruits can justify further valorization and domestication of this species.