2.1. Food sampling and samples preparation
The survey was conducted in different locations and at different
times in two conservation areas in Kanchanaburi province, namely,
Srinakarind dam and Wang-khamen Mountain, Thailand, during
January 2009 to March 2011. Three highly available, indigenous
fruits were collected for study, including the whole fruits without
seeds of Phyllanthus emblica L. or Emblica officinalis (Amla; Indian
gooseberry; Thai name, Ma-Kham-Pom) (n = 5), the whole fruits
of Antidesma velutinosum Blume (Thai name, Ma-Mao) (n = 6),
and peeled fruits without seeds of Spondias pinnata (L.f.) Kurz
(Hog plum; Thai name, Ma-Kok-Pa) (n = 3). The samples were kept
in dark plastic bags and then transported via an ice-box to a laboratory
at the Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University. The fruits
were then washed with tap water, followed by washing twice with
deionized water. The edible part was homogenised using a food
processor (Mara
, Thailand) and divided into two portions. The
first portion was immediately analysed for moisture and vitamin C before being stored in an acid-washed screw-capped plastic bottle
at 20 C and reserved for other nutrient analyses. The second
portion was freeze-dried, ground, vacuum-packed in laminated aluminium foil bags, and stored at 20 C for determination of bioactive
compounds and antioxidant activities.