28 
BULLETIN 1215, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
possible to tell what methods of analysis and calculation were used 
on the figs and dates. They are sufficiently comparable, however, 
to give a general idea of the various constituents of the different 
fruits. 
Table 2. — Composition of the jujube compared with that of the fig and the date. 
Edible matter (per cent). 
Original basis. 
Product. 
Total 
in 
whole 
fruit. 
Water. 
Pro- 
Fat 
(ether 
ex- 
tract). 
Fresh jujubes 94.12 
Fresh figs' 
Dried jujubes 87. 38 
Dried figs 3 
Dried dates 3 85. 00 
65.36 
78.93 
16.24 
28.78 
18.51 
0.28 
1.16 
1.35 
4.42 
3. 58 1. 27 
2.71 ! .60 
! 
Moisture-free basis. 
£& Ash - Add - 
24.14 
15.55 
60.03 
51.43 
62.08 
0.43 
0.85 
.58 
2. 32 1 1. 15 
2.75 «.71 
1.83 « 1.26 
Fat 
Pro- (ether Total 
tein. ex- sugars, 
tract). 
3. 35 0. 81 69. 69 
6.41 73.80 
5.28 71.67 
5.03 1.78 72.21 
3. 33 . 74 76. 18 
Ash. 
2.45 
2.75 
2.77 
3.86 
2.25 
Acid. 
1 1.24 
1 1.37 
<1.00 
«1.55 
1 Calculated as anhydrous citric acid. 
a Average of numerous analyses compiled from California Expt. Sta. Rpt., 1892-93, and part of 1894, 
Table A, opp. p. 228. 
3 J. Konig (7). Chemie der menschlichen Nahrungs-und Genussmittel, vol. 1, p. 868. 
4 Stated as malic acid. 
No great difference in composition exists between the fresh jujubes 
and the fresh figs. The dried fig has an advantage over the dried 
jujube and the date in the quantity of edible matter. It has practi- 
cally 100 per cent, while the jujube and the date contain approxi- 
mately 85 per cent of edible material. 
From the data calculated to a water-free basis, it would appear 
that the jujube compares very favorably in composition with both 
the fig and the date. In all of the constituents except fat (ether 
extract) the jujube and the fig are practically alike. The protein 
content of the jujube is considerably higher than that of the date. 
This advantage is partially offset, however, by the higher sugar 
content of the date. The fat (ether extract) content, the ash con- 
tent, and the acid content are about the same in the two fruits. 
The appearance and texture of the jujube are similar to those of 
the date, and the flavor of the fresh, dried, or candied fruit is 
pleasant. When dried or candied the jujube is particularly sugges- 
tive of the date. The skin is hard and brittle, and the fruit is easily 
handled without becoming mushy or staining the hands. 
SUMMARY OF ANALYSES. 
Fourteen samples of jujubes, representing six varieties at different 
stages of maturity, were analyzed. 
The fruit varied in weight from 5.8 to 17.8 grams (one-fifth to 
three-fifths ounce) in the undried condition, and from 2.8 to 7.65 
grams (one- tenth to one- fourth ounce) when dried. It was charac- 
terized by a high proportion of edible matter (95 per cent in the 
freshly picked or undried and 85 per cent in the dried). 
Sugars, which were present in fairly large quantities, particularly 
in the dried fruit, undoubtedly form the most valuable food con- 
stituent of the jujube. The percentages of invert sugar and sucrose 
