Nutraceutical and functional food potential of African Elemi (Canarium schweinfurthiiEngl) fruit pulp from Central Uganda

African elemi (Canarium schweinfurthii Engl.) is a native fruit tree species in the tropics that is regarded as underutilized. This study evaluated the nutritional composition, bioactive components, antioxidant activity, and aromatic components of ripe fruits of C. schweinfurthii from Central Uganda. Fruit pulp chemical characterization revealed pulp content, titrable acidity, and pH to be 55.5±2.4%, 0.693±0.03, and 5.74±0.01, respectively. The proximate, vitamin and mineral composition that exhibited high values based on their Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) above 20% were: total fat (37.5 g/100g, RDA 58%), dietary fibre (28.7mg/100g, RDA 114%), vitamin C (72mg/ 100g, RDA 121%), -carotene (0.880±0.034 mg/100g, 704%), selenium (24 mg/100g, RDA 455%), potassium (753 mg/100g; RDA 22%), and magnesium (90.3 mg/100g, RDA 23%). The bioactive compounds: total flavonoids, total phenolic compounds, total anthocyanin pigments, and total antioxidant activity were 27.18±1.36 mg/100g Rutin Equivalent (RE), 807.20±7.21 mg/100g Garlic Acid Equivalent (GAE), 32.33±5.62mg/100g pigment, and 8.19±0.00 IC50 mg/g Ascorbic Acid Equivalent (AAE), respectively. The GC-MS analysis of the pulp identified 27 volatile (aromatic) compounds with Terpinen-4-ol (18.242%), Beta.-Myrcene (11.073%), 2,4-Decadienal,(E,E)- (6.110%),9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, ethyl ester (5.948%), Cyclohexene,4-methylene- 1-(1-methylethyl) (5.910%), D-Limonene (5.880%), Benzene, 4-ethyl-1,2-dimethyl (4.353%),9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester (3.968%), and L-.alpha.-Terpineol (3.755%) being the dominant compounds. The abundant micro- and macronutrients, as well as bioactive compounds indicate that C. schweinfurthii pulp can significantly contribute to the development of nutraceutical products, which warrant its on-farm domestication at a commercial level through vegetative propagation techniques. This is expected to replace the seeds that are destroyed during the parboiling of highly demanded fruits before eating.