Diospyros digyna (black sapote), an Undervalued Fruit: A Review

Diospyros digyna (black sapote) is a fruit of the Ebenaceae family. Its cultivation is centered in different regions of America, particularly in Mexico, where it originated. The main use of this fruit is for direct consumption or as an ingredient for making desserts. In spite of its nutritional characteristics, its rate of consumption is very low, providing an opportunity to make novel ready-to-eat or processed products. Some compounds found in the fruit, such as phenolic compounds and carotenoids, give it its characteristic dark brown color. Due to the content of vitamin C, vitamin E, and calcium, among other nutrients, black sapote could be considered a functional food. This review describes different aspects of the fruit: its origin, changes in its physicochemical characteristics during the growth and ripening of the fruit, pigments, and sensory, bioactive, and nutritional characteristics. It also summarizes different studies that mention its use for treating some ailments and its use as an antimicrobial.