The fruits are harvested in August 2016 in five sectors of two main production areas in Senegal (Bayla, Youtou, Niamone for Casamance’s; Bandafasse and Salémata for Kédougou’s region) (Table 1). Lots of fruits are selected from different production areas, at similarly sized fruit of the same ripening stage. Three samples are collected for each site. Fruits are the opened and depulped. Each of the three samples was analyzed in triplicate analytical methods. The resulting amounts are stored at −80˚C.

The results of physicochemical and biochemical analyzes of Saba senegalensis’s fruits of the five (5) localities are recorded in Table 1. Data processing by variance analysis shows that there is no significant difference (p < 0.05) of pH, water content, protein, lipid, and reducing sugar levels of samples from different origin. According to that, the characteristic mean values to be considered are 2.79 for the pH, 74.77% for the humidity; 0.22% for proteins; 1.25% for lipids; 13.38% for reducing sugars.

However, significant differences depending on the collection sites are noted on the other parameters measured. The titratable acidity represented by citric acid ranges from 2.33 (Youtou) to 1.85 g·100g⁻¹ (Niamone). Bayla recorded higher ascorbic acid (198.22 mg·100g⁻¹) followed by Youtou (154.96 mg·100g⁻¹) and Niamone (145.59 mg·100g⁻¹). These levels are well above the average value for all localities combined (118.02 mg·100g⁻¹). In addition, the fruits collected in Bandafasse and Salémata have vitamin C contents lower than the average value of any locality being respectively 58.450 mg·100g⁻¹ and 32.862 mg·100g⁻¹. The total sugar content varies from 12.68 (Salémata) to 15.1 mg·100g⁻¹ (Bandafasse).

The ash contents are low but no difference is noted between the samples of Bayla (1.15 g·100g⁻¹), Niamone (1.52 g·100g⁻¹), Youtou (1.29 g·100g⁻¹), Bandafasse (1.44 g·100g⁻¹) and Salémata (1.45 g·100g⁻¹).

The polyphenol contents are variable for all localities. Indeed, the highest content was recorded on the Salémata samples (2.56 g·100g⁻¹) followed by Niamone (2.24 g·100g⁻¹), Bandafasse (1.94 g·100g⁻¹), Youtou (1.68 g·100g⁻¹) and Bayla (1.17 g·100g⁻¹). The carotenoid content varied depending on the collection areas. It is more important at Youtou (9.12 g·100g⁻¹) followed by Salémata (7.20 g·100g⁻¹), Bayla (7.11 g·100g⁻¹) and Niamone (6.86 g·100g⁻¹). These last three datas did not show significant differences, however these values are very different from those of Bandafassi (5.05 g·100g⁻¹).

The highest glucose levels are 3.66 and 3.19 g·100g⁻¹, respectively for the fruits collected at Bandafasse and Bayla but those from Youtou (3.14 g·100g⁻¹), Salémata (2.50 g·100g⁻¹) and Niamone (3.03 g·100g⁻¹) are weaker and similar. For fructose, the highest fructose fruits are recorded at Bayla (3.52 g·100g⁻¹) and the lowest in Salémata (1.76 g·100g⁻¹).

Table 2 shows the mineral composition of the pulp of the five localities. The results show that the calcium contents are very variable: from 113.86 (Bandafasse) to 1279.2 mg·100g⁻¹ (Niamone); the potassium from 151.15 (Youtou) at 218.03 mg·100g⁻¹ (Bandafasse); the sodium from 0.82 (Salemata) to 23.59 mg·100g⁻¹ (Bayla); the magnesium from 24.03 (Youtou) to 30.91 mg·100g⁻¹ (Bandafasse); the phosphorus from 9.86 (Youtou) to 13.98 mg·100g⁻¹ (Salemata); the iron from 0.89 (Youtou) to 1.77 mg·100g⁻¹ (Niamone).

A principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to evaluate the effect of provenance on the physicochemical and biochemical characteristics of the collected fruits. The results show that the two axes express 75.20% of the total variance (Table 3). A significant portion of the information contained in the data table is retained. The pH variables, total sugars, reducing sugars and glucose are positively well correlated with the first axis, while the water content variables, lipids and carotenoids are negatively. The parameters used to evaluate the sweet and acidic taste of fruits are well aligned on this first dimension (Dim 1), which could be considered as an organoleptic axis. The second dimension (Dim 2) is characterized by the polyphenol and ash variables that are positively correlated, as well as the fructose and vitamin C variables that are negatively correlated. Thus, this second dimension could be considered as the axis of the antioxidant potential of the fruits. The dimensions axes (Dim1 and Dim 2) delimit the types of fruits collected. The position on the axis Dim 1 differentiates the fruits rich in proteins, glucose, reducing sugars, total sugars and pH (Bandafasse), with the other fruits characterized by low acidity, moisture, lipids and carotenoids (Youtou).

The values presented in the table are an average of 3 independent analyzes ± standard deviation. The letters (a-e) in the same column of the table indicate significant differences (P < 0.05, Fisher’s LSD test).

However, the position on the Dim 2 axis contrasts fruits with a content of polyphenols and ashes (Salemata and Niamone), fruits with low levels of citric acid, fructose and vitamin C (Bayla). Thus, the fruits of Saba senegalensis have been grouped into three classes. The first class consists of fruits from Bandafasse. Class 2 consists of fruits from Niamone and Salemata. Finally, class 3 consists of fruits collected at Youtou and Bayla. (Figure 1 & Figure 2)

Average pH values between 2.72 and 2.85 give the fruit an acidic character. These pH values are slightly higher than 2.24 found by [15] . These pH values are

correctly correlate with the high levels of total and citric acidity which respectively vary between (37.80 and 69.80 mEq/100g) and (2.33 to 1.85 g/100g). These later values are close to that found by [9] whose titratable acidity value was 30.44 mEq·100g⁻¹. Compared to other locally sourced local fruits, the fruit of Saba senegalensis seems more acidic than Detarium senegalensis with a pH of 3.51 and 23 - 45 mEq·100g⁻¹ of titratable acid [16] and Sclerocarya birrea with a pH of 3.66 - 3.95 and a titratable acidity of 15.1 - 19.9 mEq·100g⁻¹ [17] ; it is less acidic than baobab (Adansonia digitata) fruits with a pH of 1.89 and acidity of 97 - 144 mEq·100g⁻¹ [13] . The combined low pH and high acidity gives the fruit of Saba senegalensis a very good aptitude for conservation and thus a great advantage for technological issues. The value of crude protein (0.282 g·100g⁻¹) is lower than that found by [8] [9] which were respectively 0.8% and 0.3%. The weakness of Saba fruit in lipid (0.96 to 1.66 g/100g⁻¹) and protein (0.21 to 0.24 g/100g⁻¹), seem to be characteristic of fruits. Concerning the vitamin C contents of the Saba fruits, they are between 32.86 and 198.22 mg/100g. The zones of the Casamance region stand out; Bayla, Youtou, Niamone are the zones giving the richest fruits in ascorbic acid (198.22, 154, 96 and 145.59 respectively) whereas those of Kédougou give the weakest namely Salemata and Bandafasse with respective values of 32.86 and 58.45 mg/100g. The sampling area may affect the vitamin C content of the fruits. Indeed, these first three zones share the same climatic conditions. Significant differences between samples are likely due to ecological conditions. These vitamin C contents are higher than results indicated by [7] which were between 34.8 and 67.5 mg·100g⁻¹ [9] : 16 mg·100g⁻¹. The vitamin C content of Saba senegalensis is lower than that of Detarium senegalensis (1200 to 2200 mg·100g⁻¹), A. digitata (125 to 312 mg·100g⁻¹) [13] and Ficus gnaphalocarpa (487 mg·100g⁻¹) [18] . However, the vitamin C content of the samples studied is higher than those established for other fruits which all vary between 1.42 and 3.9 mg·100g⁻¹ such as tamarind, soursop, pineapple, fruit passion, mango [20] , and Sclerocarya birrea 16.44 mg/100g [17] . Carotenoids are responsible for the orange-yellow coloring of fruits. In this study, the fruits of the Youtou and Bayla localities showed a great variability of carotenoid contents with extreme values of 1.13 and 2.47 mg·100g⁻¹, respectively. The impact of pedoclimatic conditions, stage of maturity at harvest and storage conditions of fruits are all factors that may explain these variations. These values show us that Saba fruits are good sources of carotenoids. Polyphenols exhibit antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities [19] . Although variable, the levels of polyphenols found during this study (1.17 - 2.56 g·100g⁻¹) are slightly higher than that indicated by [7] which was 0.94 g·100g⁻¹, However, these values are comparable to those of A. digitata (2.5 g·100g⁻¹) fruits of Hibiscus sabdarifa (1.34 - 3.73 g) [13] . They are higher than those found for mango (68 mg·100g⁻¹), banana (51 mg·100g⁻¹), pineapple 47 mg·100g⁻¹) [20] , apple (180 mg EAG/100g) [21] . Water is the main constituent of the fruit of S. senegalensis with an average value of 74.77 g·100g⁻¹. This value is lower than that found by [15] (80 g·100g⁻¹), but it is well above the value of [9] (48 g·100g⁻¹). On the other hand, it is comparable to several fruits such as Detarium senegalensis and Cucurbita which have respective values of 62.59% [16] and 75.54% [22] . Amount of water explains the perishable nature of the fruit. The total sugars of Saba are mainly composed of reducing sugars which is closed to 88% of the total sugar quantity. The reducing sugars are essentially composed of glucose (3.19 and 3.66 g·100g⁻¹) and fructose (1.76 to 3.52 g·100g⁻¹). This profile in simple carbohydrate remains a handicap for the conservation of the fruit while facilitating the fermentation.

The total mineral content of the pulp of S. senegalensis varies between 1.52 and 1.15 g·100g⁻¹. This value is lower than that found by [9] which is 2.8 g·100g⁻¹. The pulp is rich in mineral compounds (P, Mg and Fe). As in most fruits, potassium and calcium predominate and sodium is almost non-existent.