Determination of Nutritional Composition and Selected Phytochemical and Anti-nutrient Content of Vitex Payos (chocolate Berry), a Neglected and Underutilized Fruit from Two Kenyan Counties

Indigenous fruits, which are usually underutilized, play an important role in food and nutrition security especially in developing countries. Vitex payos fruit (chocolate berry) is one such example which is currently gaining popularity in arid and semi-arid parts of Kenya. Fruits of V. payos were collected from three wards in each of the two Counties (Kitui and Tharaka-Nithi). A composite sample from each County was obtained by mixing the three ward samples in a ratio of 1:1:1. Standard analytical methods were used in the determination of the physicochemical composition of the fruit samples. Apart from crude fat and protein, significant differences (PV. payos is a good source of nutrients whose concentration may be region-dependent. Nutrient concentration of V. payos is comparable to most fruits. Its potassium, dietary fiber and total flavonoid content are particularly higher than in most of the common fruits.