Exploring Indicators of Food Choice for Chimpanzees at Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire: Aroma and Antioxidants

This study explored the food choice for chimpanzees at Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire and attempted to link these to the aroma and antioxidants content. The focus was on the aroma composition and antioxidant content of the fruits of the tree Sacoglottis gabonensis (Baill.) Urb., S. gabonensis, at different ripeness stages, in order to elucidate potential drivers for the selection of presumably ripe fruits by the apes. Flavour analyses have revealed clear differences between the unripe, ripe and to a lesser extent also between ripe and overripe fruits. Eating fruits at a ripe stage implies that chimpanzees are rewarded with high level of macro-nutrients, e.g. carbohydrates together with low content of unwanted bitter compounds. Yet, ripe fruits do not represent a ripeness stage with highest antioxidant content and highest antioxidant content was found in unripe fruit, which is gradually decreasing while ripening.