ABSTRACT

The effect of different duration of boiling on nutrients composition and anti - nutrient content of African nutmeg (Monodora myristica) was carried out using proximate, Amino acid, minerals, Gross energy and anti nutritional factors. -The samples were subjected to 30 minutes, 60 minutes and 90 minutes boiling. Both the raw and processed forms were later dried, milled and chemically analyzed for proximate and gross energy composition. There were significant (p <0.05) differences among the treatment means. The raw seeds (Ti) had the highest value of crude protein 16.88%; followed by treatment 2, 14.53%; 13, 11.74% and T4, 10.57% making treatment 2 a choice treatment among the processed forms. For micro minerals in mg/kg, T1(Fe, 91.36; Zn, 84.36; Cu, 21.70; Mn, 306.3), T2 (Fe, 88.50; Zn, 81.70; Cu, 19.60; Mn, 296.2), 13(Fe, 74.46; Zn, 69.72; Cu, 16.70; Mn, 279.4), T4(Fe, 65.56; Zn, 51.36; Cu, 14.56; Mn, 263.6) and macro minerals in %, T (Na, 0.08; P, 0.94; Ca, 0.34; Mg, 0.34; K, 0.54;), T2(Na, 0.07; P, 0.81; Ca, 0.30; Mg, 0.27; K, 0.48), T3 (Na, 0.06; P, 0.62; Ca, 0.22; Mg, 0.21; K, 0.40), T4 (Na, 0.03; P, 0.48, Ca, 0.17; Mg, 0.14; K, 0.28), it followed similar pattern like that of proximate and gross energy with treatment 2 having the highest value among the processed forms. Also the essential amino acid in g/loog, T1 (Isoleucine, 1.78; Leucine, 1.67; Methionine, 1.49; Valine, 1.61; Threonine, 0.69; Lysine, 0.10), 12 (Isoleucine, 1.60; leucine, 1.51, Methionine, 1.34; Valine, 1.45; Threonine, 1.15; lysine, 0.09), 13(Isoleusine, 1.42; leucine, 1.51; Methionine, 1.19; Valine, 1.29; Threonine, 1.02; Lysine, 0.08), 14(Isolusine, 1.24; leucine, 0.76; Methionine, 1.04; Valine, 1.13; Threonine, 0.97; Lysine, 0.71),and non essential in gllOog, T (Aspatate, 0.00; Phenylalanine, 1.95; Glutamate, 1.11), (Aspatate, 0.00; Phenylalanine, 1.75; Glutamate, 1.00), T3(Aspatate, 0.00; Phenylalanine, 1.56; Glutamate, 0.89), 14(Aspatate, 0.00; Phenylalanine, 1.36; Glutamate, 0.78), favored treatment 2, followed by 3 and 4. There were general reduction in the values of anti nutritional factors in %, T1(Trypsin inhibitor, 31.59; Tannin, 0.30; HCN, 26.36), 12 (Trypsin inhibitor, 0.76; Tannin, 023; HCN, 11.65), 13(Trypsin inhibitor, 0.00; Tannin, 0.17; HCN, 0.00), T4((Trypsin inhibitor, 0.00; Tannin, 0.12; HCN, 0.00), with highest reduction in treatment 4, 3, 2 and 1. Considering the highest value of crude protein, gross energy, mineral composition and highest value of both essential and non-essential amino acid and the reduction in the anti nutritional factors, Treatment 2 is recommended among others.