Full Length Research Paper

Effect of processing on the nutritional and toxicological components of Cleome rutidosperma seed

L. A. Nwaogu¹* and  A. C. Udebuani²

¹Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.

²Department of Biotechnology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author.  E-mail: nwogulinus@yahoo.com.

Accepted 17 February, 2009

   Abstract

The effect of processing on the proximate composition, antinutrient levels and mineral contents of (devil bean) Cleome rutidosperma seed were investigated. Quantitative analyses of the antinutrient composition revealed that boiling the bean for 1 h, changing and discarding the water twice reduced appreciably most of the antinutrient components in the bean including alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, cyanogenic glycosides, oxalate, phytic  acid and trypsin inhibitors. The treatment had no effect on the composition of ash, crude fibre and fats. The same treatment decreased the composition of protein from 26.95 ± 0.02 to 20.30 ± 0.03%, moisture from 12.80 ± 0.01 to 11.82 ± 0.02%. The same processing increased the carbohydrate content from 48.50 ± 0.05 to 50.35 ± 0.02%. There was no significant difference (P≤0.05) observed in the mineral elements studied as a result of the treatment. The minerals include calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium and phosphorus.

Key words: Cleome rutidosperma seed, processing, antinutrient components, mineral compositions.