Browsing by Author "Onyeike, Eugene N."

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    Amino acid profile of heat-processed canarium schweinfurthii pulp
    (SCIENCEDOMAIN International, 2014-06-19) Anyalogbu, Ernest A.; Onyeike, Eugene N.; Monanu, Michael O.
    Amino acid composition of a plant food is an indicator of its protein quality. This could be altered by the processing method. Processed fruit of Canarium schweinfurthii, a Bursereceae, is common traditional snacking item in Nigeria. The pulp of raw and macerated samples of C. schweinfurthii were dried, ground into powders and analyzed for protein and amino acid contents using standard methods. The pulp of raw and macerated samples contain all the amino acids found naturally in plant protein. Glu (6.72-9.03g/100g protein), a non-essential amino acid was the most abundant amino acid followed by Leu (5.35-6.21g/100g protein) an essential amino acid. The concentrations of Glu, Gly, Ala, Cys, and Tyr and those of all the essential amino acids were increased by macerating the sample for 15 to 45min while others decreased. Peak values (on g/100g protein basis) were obtained for Lys(3.10), Thr(3.00), Val(3.66), Met(0.89), Ile(3.08), Phe(3.30), Glu(9.03), Gly(3.14), Ala(2.86), Cys(0.79), and Tyr(2.74) at 30min maceration (CS30). The sample processed to accepted eaten tenderness (CS30) on g/100g protein basis also recorded the highest values for the protein quality parameters: total amino acid(56.05), total essential amino acid with His(28.5), total non-essential amino acid(27.8), total neutral amino acid(33.4), total acidic amino acid(14.4), total sulphur amino acid(1.68) and total aromatic amino acid(6.04). Based on whole hen’s egg and 1957 FAO provisional amino acid patterns, Met (0.57-0.89g/100g protein) scored lowest to become the first limiting amino acid in the sample. The plant food has potential as a source of high quality dietary protein.
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    Effect of maceration time on micronutrient concentrations of canarium schweinfurthii pulp flour
    (SCIENCEDOMAIN International, 2014-06-25) Monanu, Michael O.; Anyalogbu, Ernest A.; Onyeike, Eugene N.
    The effect of wet heat-processing on the micronutrient composition of Canarium schweinfurthii (CS) pulps eaten as traditional snack in most parts of Nigeria was investigated. Fresh wholesome seeds of C. schweinfurthii, obtained from Aba (Abia State, Nigeria) were washed in several changes of distilled water and divided into four lots. The first lot was used raw (CSraw) and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th macerated in water (55ºC) for 15, 30 and 45min to obtain CS15, CS30 and CS45 respectively. CS30 represents sample traditionally processed to accepted cooking tenderness. The raw and wet-heat treated seed pulps, dried for 48hr in air-circulatory oven (50ºC) and milled into flours were evaluated for vitamin and mineral contents using standard methods. The mineral and vitamin contents of the plant food were affected by the processing method. There were progressive increase in the concentrations of Ca, Na, P, Zn, and Pb; and decrease in those of Fe, I, K and Mg as maceration time was increased. The concentrations of Cu, Mn and Se were increased to their peak values and then reduced as the processing time was extended. Highest values were obtained (per 100g sample) for Fe (7.78mg), I (12.0µg), K (11.34mg) and Mg (8.37mg) in CSraw; Ca (21.41mg), Cu (289.33µg) and Mn (4.76mg) in CS15; Na (23.36mg), Se (8.0µg) and Pb (122.67µg) in CS30 and; P (21.33µg) and Zn (1.79mg) in CS45. Vitamins C (2.37mg/100g) and E (1.97mg/100g) were the mostabundant vitamins in the sample. The concentrations of all the vitamins investigated increased to their respective peaks values at 15min maceration (CS15) and then, with exception of thiamine, reduced with the extension of the processing time to 45min. It can be concluded that maceration for 15-30mins improves the micronutrient contents of CS pulp.
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    Mineral and vitamin concentrations of heat processed plukenetia conophora seed kernel consumed in Nigeria
    (SCIENCEDOMAIN International, 2014-08-21) Anyalogbu, Ernest A.; Onyeike, Eugene N.; Monanu, Michael O.
    Mineral and vitamin concentrations of heat processed Plukenetia conophora seed kernelconsumed as snacks in Nigeria were investigated. The seeds which were obtained from Ojoto in Anambra State, Nigeria were washed in several changes of distilled water, divided into four lots - PCraw (raw sample), PC45, PC90 and PC135 (samples cooked for 45, 90 and 135min respectively), oven-dried and milled into flours. Concentrations of the minerals (Ca, K, Mg, Na, Pb, Cu, Fe, I and Mn) in PCraw decreased as the time of cooking increased from 45min (PC45) to 135min (PC135), while for P, Zn and Se the concentrations increased over time of heat processing. The most abundant mineral was sodium (27.41mg/100g) followed by calcium (21.04mg/100g) and lowest in iodine (3.0µg/100g).Iodine was the most heat-labile mineral followed by iron and then lead. Plukenetia conophora seed kernel flours were found to be excellent sources of vitamins E, K, B1, B6 and B9 and good sources of vitamins D, B2, B3, B5 and thus the plant food is recommended for consumption sinceit could provide significant amount of the recommended daily allowance of these micronutrients for adults.