PROXIMATE AND PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS OF PARBOILED AFRICAN LOCUST BEAN (PARKIA BIGLOBOSA) SEED COAT AND POD

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional and phytochemical composition of parboiled seed coat and pod of African locust beans (Parkia biglobosa). Samples were gathered within the local environs and subjected to laboratory analysis, proximate analysis shows that the dry matter, moisture content, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre, carbohydrate, and ash content of the seed coat had values of 86.58%, 13.43%, 26.02%, 15.57%, 20.24%, 17.03%, and 7.73% respectively, which were all higher than those obtained from the pod except for the moisture content and carbohydrate. Phytate was found to be present in higher concentrations than other antinutrients where the pod had (98.87 mg/g) and the coat (30.72 mg/g) while the pod had oxalate as 12.41 mg/g, tannin 0.36 mg/g and saponin 29.63 mg/g, while the seed coat had 3.68 mg/g, 0.15mg/100g, and 2.10 mg/g respectively.