Effects of oven drying, boiling and fermentation on vitamins, amino acids and mineral nutrient profile of tuber flours of Icacina senegalensis A. Juss(Icacinaceae)
Esien David-Oku, Roseline Okon Edide, Juliet Ifeoma Obiajunwa-Otteh, Oluwatosin Elizabeth Ntaji, Godwin Christian Akuodor and Henrieta Nkechi Ene-Obong
Objective: The effects of oven drying, boiling and fermentation on vitamins, selected amino acids and mineral nutrient profile of tuber flours of Icacina senegalensis A. Juss(Icacinaceae)were investigated.
Method: The tubers were processed by four different methods: a) oven drying; b) boiling; c) fermenting; and d) fermenting plus boiling. Samples b-d were further oven-dried and all samples pulverized into respective flours RD, BD, FD, and FBD (from treatment methods a, b, c, and d). Vitamins, amino acids and mineral nutrient profiles of tuber flours were determined using standard methods.
Results: The B group of vitamins and Vitamin C suffered drastic losses through boiling and fermentation. There was a significant improvement in Folate in FD over RD, BD and FBD. Boiling stabilized Beta carotene in BD and FBD compared to RD, while fermentation caused a significant reduction in FD. Vitamin A was significantly improved in FB over RD while the boiled samples (BD and FBD) suffered 11 and 24% losses, respectively. Vitamins E and K were similarly improved by fermentation but reduced though boiling. Boiling caused significant improvement in all 8 selected amino acids evaluated. Fermented samples FD and BD had higher contents of Calcium, Potassium and Copper while boiling and fermentation improved Magnesium.
Conclusion: Processing Icacina senegalensistuber by boiling preserved Beta carotene and improved amino acids while fermentation improved fat soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, E and K) and mineral nutrients. Processed flours must be enriched with water soluble vitamins and other essential nutrients for nutritional balance.
Esien David-Oku, Roseline Okon Edide, Juliet Ifeoma Obiajunwa-Otteh, Oluwatosin Elizabeth Ntaji, Godwin Christian Akuodor, Henrieta Nkechi Ene-Obong. Effects of oven drying, boiling and fermentation on vitamins, amino acids and mineral nutrient profile of tuber flours of Icacina senegalensis A. Juss (Icacinaceae). J Med Plants Stud 2018;6(4):162-165.