PAPER TITLE :NUTRITIONAL, ANTI–NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION AND IN VITRO PROTEIN DIGESTIBILITY OF TROPICAL EDIBLE PULS

JOURNAL Of SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY | VOLUME 2 NUMBER 1 2011

Paper Details

  • Author(s) : ALABI, O.O. and ALETOR, O
  • Abstract:

The nutritive composition of three tropical locally cultivated Dioclea reflexa, were investigated using standard methods in other to assess the numerous potentials of the pulse seeds. The proximate composition depicts high values of dry matter protein content within the range of 26.11 ± 0.18 – 33.75 ± 0.35%, crude fibre, ether extract, ash and Gross energy were; (0.92 ± 0.04 -1.28 ± 0.08 %), (5.23± 0.18 - 6.96 ± 0.23%), (7.79 ± 0.28 - 8.56 ± 0.19%), (1486.94 ± 1.97, 1497.97 ± 1.54 kcal/kg), respectively. The moisture content ranged between (7.75 ±0.37- 12.95±0.28 %), while In- vitro digestibility was determined having, 72.35 – 83.90%. The protein constituents were relatively soluble at both acidic and basic pH regions. The macro and micro elements; potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium were respectively in ranges of   (406.50 ± 6.39 - 446.61 ± 5.49 mg/100g; 174.56 ± 3.46 – 223.51±4.80 mg/100g; 197.30 ± 1.99 – 182.31 ± 1.37 mg/100g; 110.64 ± 2.1 – 156.14 ± 1.06 mg/100g; 264.10 ± 5.65 – 335.74 ± 3.1 mg/100g.). While copper showed the least value of all the micro-elements, but was plausibly comparable to that of common pulse seeds,  anti-nutritional compounds  were determined; tannin, oxalate and Phytic acid were in the range of  327.43 ±0.40 - 360.27 ± 1.30 mg/100g; 93.77±0.14 – 115.34 ± 0.11mg/100g; 40.35 ± 0.35 – 80.35 ± 0.38 mg/100g, respectively. The study confirmed that in terms of both quantity and quality, Dioclea reflexa could serve as a good source of protein and also revealed the potentials of different types of cultivar to produce essential and bio-available protein