Proximate, Mineral, Vitamin and Phytochemical Analysis of Toasted Ethanolic Seed Extract of Mucuna Sloanei (Hamburger Bean)

Abstract

Mucuna sloanei seeds are popularly used in the Eastern part of Nigeria as soup thickener and the immature seeds eaten as vegetable. This study was aimed at analyzing the proximate, mineral, vitamin and phytochemical compositions of the seeds to ascertain whether the seed meal could be included in animal feed. The evaluation was done using standard procedures. The results showed that M. sloanei seeds had a proximate composition of moisture (5.20%), ash (3.50%), crude protein (22.75%), crude fat (7.20%), crude fiber (2.20%), and carbohydrate (59.15%). The mineral analysis showed that M. sloanei contained sodium (146.35 mg/100 g), potassium (252.80 mg/100 g), calcium (44.80 mg/100 g), magnesium (125.80mg/100g), iron (9.60 mg/100g) and zinc (3.00 mg/100 g). The vitamin analysis of M. sloanei showed that it contained thiamine (2.14 mg/100g), Vitamin A (4.75 mg/100 g), vtamin C (14.40 mg/100 g), vitamin E (0.15 mg/100 g) while phytochemical analysis showed that M. sloanei seeds contained alkaloid (0.16%), hydrogen cyanide (0.07 mg/kg), saponin (0.06%), flavonoids (0.20%), tannins (0.03%), oxalate (0.40%) and phenol (0.02%).This study concluded that the toasted ethanolic seed extract of M. sloanei contained highest amount of carbohydrate followed by protein and lowest amount of crude fibre. Similarly, among the minerals tested, M. sloanei seeds contained highest amount of potassium and lowest amount of zinc and for the vitamin content, vitamin C was highest and vitamin E the lowest. The seed also had oxalate as the highest anti-nutrient and phenol as the lowest in composition. The analyses therefore showed that these seeds could be used to supplement the carbohydrate and protein contents of feed while adding extra calcium to take care of the high oxalate content of the seeds.