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Nutritive
evaluation of Telfairia occidentalis leaf protein
concentrate in infant foods
Johnson
Oluwasola Agbede*, Muyiwa Adegbenro, Gbenga Emmanuel Onibi,
Christian Oboh and Valentine Ayobore Aletor
Division of Nutritional Biochemistry, Department of Animal
Production and Health, Federal University of Technology,
P.M.B. 704, Akure, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
joagbede@yahoo.com.
Tel: +234 8064840143.
Abbreviations: LM, Leaf meal; LPC, leaf
proteins concentrate; LR, leaf residue; TOLPC,
Telfairia occidentalis
leaf proteins concentrate; CFF, CFN and CFC,
coded commercial infant weaning foods; SBM, soybean
meal.
Accepted 11 April, 2008 |
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Leaf meal (LM), leaf proteins concentrate (LPC) and
LPC residues from Telfairia occidentalis were
produced, chemically characterized and the protein quality
of the LPC evaluated using rats. Five infant weaning foods
were formulated using varying combinations of T.
occidentalis LPC and soybean meal. These foods were
compared with three coded commercial infant weaning foods
(CFF, CFN and CFC) currently in trade in a 28-day
performance study. Though fractionation increased crude
protein in LPC by 34.8%, the amino acid values were in most
cases lower than the FAO/WHO/UNU recommendation.
Fractionation led to increase in the gross energy by 22.0%
and decrease in the phytate and tannin contents by 60 and
81.3%, respectively in LPC. The LPC, when fed as sole
protein source, led to weight loss in rats. The highest
final weight was observed in rats fed 100% LPC + 0% soybean
meal-based food (105.4 ± 16.4 g) and least in CFN (50.0 ±
4.2 g), a commercial food. The formulated foods had
significant (P<0.05) effects on apparent N-digestibility,
‘operative’ protein efficiency ratio and haematological
variables. Inclusion of T. occidentalis LPC in food
preparations could help to reduce the cost of infant weaning
foods.
Key words:
Infant weaning food, Telfairia occidentalis
leaf protein concentrate. |
