CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS OF ARIL CAP OF AFRICAN OAK (AFZELIA AFRICANA) SEED (Published)
African oak is one of the underutilized legumes in Nigeria. Information on various parts of this legume is required to enhance its utilization in foods and food products. Feeding of fowls with the flour made from the aril cap of the seed showed no harmful effect on them. The flour was then analyzed for chemical properties. Proximate analysis showed that the cap was appreciable in protein (5.69%), fat (18.5%), carbohydrates (63.91%), and fibre (5.4%) but low in ash (1.5%). The value of each of the anti – nutrients analyzed was below the lethal level. Although the cap was found to be low in ash content, it had appreciable amounts of some essential elements. These are sodium (7.10±1.00), potassium (148.0±0.10), calcium (7.02±0.00), magnesium (109.12±1.02 ppm), phosphorus (11.20±1.10 ppm), and iron (0.25±0.02mg/g).The vitamin components of the cap determined were A (234.7±0.00µg/g), C (4.0±1.00mg/100g), E (1.1±0.02mg/100g) and the B – vitamins; B1, B2, B6 and B12 (2.0±1.01, 33.0±0.11, 4.3±1.00 and 4.8±0.10)mg/100g, showing good amounts of the vitamins. Due to high proximate, vitamins, minerals and insignificant anti – nutrient compositions of the aril cap of the African oak seed, it could be used in both human and animal foods. There is therefore a need for food industries and feed formulators to utilize the cap.
Keywords: African Oak, Anti – Nutrients, Minerals, Proximate, Vitamins