Future flavours from the past: Sensory and nutritional profiles of green plum (Buchanania obovata), red bush apple (Syzygium suborbiculare) and wild peach (Terminalia carpentariae) from East Arnhem Land, Australia

The green plum (Buchanania obovata), red bush apple (Syzygium suborbiculare) and wild peach (Terminalia carpentariae) all grow in remote East Arnhem Land, Australia and are eaten by the Yolŋu Aboriginal people who live there. These three fruits have had very little study at present by western food science and there is interest in their use as foods or food products to create sustainable Indigenous agribusinesses. The purpose of this study was to create a nutritional and sensory profile of each fruit. Results show that wild peach is a very good source of vitamin C with 2041 ± 192 mg/100g FW (fresh weight) and green plum is a very good source of folate, containing 118 ± 8 µg/100g FW as folic acid equivalents. All three fruit are good sources of dietary fibre, (green plum 9.5 ± 1.4, red bush apple 6.5 ± 1.0 and wild peach 8.6 ± 1.3 g/100g FW) and minerals and the green plum is a particularly valuable source of potassium (511 ± 22 mg/100g FW). Descriptive analysis of the fruit as whole or pieces of fruit, as a puree and as an ingredient (freeze-dried powder) in semolina and yoghurt describe the green plums flavour as sweet, tart and stewed apple and red bush apple as sour, raspberry, citrus, apple, sweet, floral, herbaceous and spiced tea. The unique sensory profiles and high nutrient levels indicate they could be used as future smart foods for diet diversity and future flavours in novel food products.