ABSTRACT

Non Communicable diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular complications have steadily been on the rise over decades. One of  hall mark of diabetes mellitus is hyperglycemis which is compounded by consumption of goods with high glycemic indices. In this study, in vitro starch digestibility and glycemic indices of cocoyam accessions were evaluated. Six accessions of cocoyam both (Colocasia esculenta) Nce001, Nce012, Nce011 and (Xanthosoma maffafa) (Nxs001, Nx002, Nxs003) were harvested, samples were cleaned and oven dried at 50⁰C and processed into flour. Proximate analysis, phytochemical determination, amylose determination, total starch and in vitro starch digestion were carried on each of these accessions. Appropriate statistical tools were used for data analysis.  The result of proximate analysis shows that the accessions NCe001 (8.47 0.03^a) had the highest moisture content and was significantly(P>0.05) higher than other  accession; for crude fibre content, there was no significant (P<0.05)difference NXs003(3.72±0.02^e) and NXs 002(2.48±0.02^e) while accessions NCe001(74.58±0.02^c) was significantly (P<0.05) lower among   Carbohydrate accessions . The phytochemical analysis revealed significant difference (P<0.05) between all the accessions. While NXs001 had the highest saponins(46.3±0.02^a),  Nce 001(2.16±0.02^a ) had the highest phytate value. Total starch content was significantly  (p<0.05 higher in all accessionsrNxs001 (77.64±3.38^c) and NXs002(99.65±0.07^c); Nce012(210±14±1.81^a) Nce011(200.14±1.81^b),NXs003 (206.05±6.73^ab) and NCe001 (85.55±2.22^d) when compared with white bread(217.39±1.88^f) which served as control. Acession NXs001 (19.01±0.15^a) had the highest  and was significantly (p<0.05) higher than other accessions  . The result fronm in vitro  hydrolysis showed the control had significantly (P<0.05) higher values compared to the accessions used NX_s001 (0.30) gave the highest equilibrium const  ant while NXs003 (0.03) gave the lowest. The GI  was low in  all the accessions studied and ranged from NXs003(2.97)- white bread(26.96).  The highest G.I was recorded in NCe001. This findings suggest that the cocoyam accessions studied could be recommended for use in the management of diabetes milletus and individuals seeking to control their blood sugar level.