Haya: The Saudi Journal of Life Sciences (SJLS)
Volume-2 | Issue-06 | 210-216
Original Research Article
Evaluation of Nutritive, Antinutritive and Mineral Content of Tetracarpidium conophorum (African Walnut) Seed Oil at Different Stages of Fruit Maturation
Esosa Samuel Uhunmwangho, Ehimwenma Sheena Omoregie
Published : Sept. 30, 2017
Abstract
Nutritional and industrial processes have increased the demand of oils and
this in turn has led to the search for oils from different types of seeds for possible
development and use. It is in this vein that the Tetracarpidium conophorumfruit nuts
were extracted with n-hexane (soxhlet extraction at 650C). The proximate
composition,antinutrient and mineral content of freshly harvested Tetracarpidium
conophorum(African walnut)seed from 4 weeks after anthesis (WAA) to fruit
maturation were assessed in this study. Data obtained for the proximate composition
at matured stage of fruits developmentrevealed significant high amount of
fat(43.4±0.82) %; moisture(36.7±1.39) %; crude protein(30.1±1.38) %; carbohydrate
(16.91±1.07) %;low crude fibre (2.59±0.64) %, and ash content(7.3±0.07) %[which
contained higher amount ofminerals such as of Fe (130.81 ± 3.8) ppm, Mn (40.11 ±
1.00) ppm, Ni (2.92 ± 0.81) ppm, and Cu (12.01 ± 0.71) ppm, decrease inCa (1.082
± 0.08) %, Cr and Cd were not detected throughout the period] at 20 WAA compare
to immature stages of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 WAA. The level of antinutrientfactors
are oxalate (0.46±0.05) mg/100g; Phytate (29.2±0.44) mg/100g and cyanogenic
glycosides (0.17±0.07) recorded lower content, except tannins (90.5 ±3.93)
mg/100gwhich recorded significant (p < 0.05) higher content at 20 WAA when
compared with immaturestages in 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 WAA. This study
revealed the nutritional profile of the fruitnut as good sources of plant protein,
carbohydrate and fat, with reduction in the level of some anti-nutrients in matured
fruits which are potentials that could be exploited by food and pharmaceutical
industries.