Fruits and their Processing for Nutritional Security - A Review

Fruits are an important supplement to the human diet as they provide vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and many phyto-nutrients without which human body cannot maintain proper health and develop resistance to disease. Fruits are nature's wonderful medicines also contain pectin, cellulose which stimulates intestinal activities and energy giving substances like oils, fats and proteins. Fruits, eaten raw or consumed as fresh juice are an excellent way to retain and balance moisture level in a body. The low level of sodium in fruits plays an important role for people who avail of salt free diet. Fruits are an important source of energy. Eating fruit provides health benefits-people who eat more fruits as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Fruits provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of our body. However, their availability is seasonal and they are perishable. Hence, they need to be processed to make juice, squash, jams, etc and preserved. Fruits provide an abundant and inexpensive source of energy, bodybuilding nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Their nutritional value is the highest when they are fresh, but it is not always possible to consume them immediately. During the harvest season, fresh produce is available in abundance, but at other times it is scarce. Moreover, most fruits are only edible for a very short time, unless they are promptly and properly preserved.