ABSTRACT

Proximate composition, vitamin contents and mineral contents of four commonly

used spices in the south-eastern part of Nigeria were investigated. The spices are

Myristica fragrans, Rosinarinus officinalis, Monodora inyrisfica and Piper

guineense. Proximate analysis showed on dry weight basis) moisture 'contents of

10.83% in Rosmarinus officinalis, 12.78% in Monodora myristica and 12.35% in

piper guineense .crude fibre contents ranged from 8.79% in (Piper guineense) to

14.26% in Rosmarinus officina/is. Crude fat ranged from 3.48% in Rosmarinus

ofJlcina/is to 13.34% i'n Myrislicafragrans. Crudeprotein ranged from 5.86% in

Piper guineense to 14.30 in Rosmarinus officinalis; while carbohydrate content

ranged from 41.57% in Myristica fragrans to 57.32% in Piper guineense. Ash

content ranged from 6.3 3% (Piper guineense) to 11 .78% in Rosmarinus offlcinalis.

All samples had high contents of dry matter. The analysis for the vitamin contents

of the spices showed the presence of vitamin A, B1 , B2, B3and vitamin C. All four

samples had high concentrations of vitamin C. The B complex vitamins for the

four samples were of low concentration. The vitamin A levels ranged from (7.08

jig/g) in Piper guineense to 14.87 jig/g in Rosmarinus officinalis. The test for

mineral content of the four samples showed that the spices contain calcium,

magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus and iron. The calcium concentration

of the four spices are quite high. AlsO the spices contain high concentrations of

phosphorus. Piper guineense contains th lowest potassium level of (98.52

mg/i 00g) when compared with !vlyristica fragrans, Monodora myristica and

Rosmarinus officinalis which posses (334.78 mg/100g, 316.64 mg/100g and

343.82 mg/l0og) respectively. Magnesium content ranged from 35.54 rng/100g in

Piper guineense to 85.66 mg/100g in Rosinarinus officinalis. The iron (Fe)

concentrations appeared to be the lowest compared with other minerals in all the

spices.