Tropentag, October 6 - 8, 2009 in Hamburg "Biophysical and Socio-economic Frame Conditions for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources"

Nutritive Quality of Blends of Sprouted Corn with Germinated, Fermented and Dried Jackbean (Canavalia ensiformis), Mucuna vulgaris, Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) and Vegetable Cowpea (Sesquipedalis)

¹EBSU Abakaliki, Food Science and Technology, Nigeria
²Enugu State University, Chemical Engineering, Nigeria

Abstract

Legumes have been found to be an important source of protein in human and animal nutrition. The usefulness of most legumes is limited by the antinutritional factors that curtail their nutritional utilisation. However, various workers have reported the possibility of total or partial elimination of the deleterious effects by various processing methods. This study was carried out to evaluate the protein quality of four legumes namely, Jackbean (Canavalia ensiformis), Mucuna vulgaris, Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) and vegetable cowpea or ‘Akidi' (Sesquipedalis) processed under previously determined optimum conditions of germination, fermentation and drying. Forty-(40) (130-250 g) albino rats were divided into eight groups of five rats each. The rats were weighed and housed in individual well labeled metabolic cages. Five rats of each group were assigned to a diet formulated from the blends of processed legumes and sprouted corn. The diets were formulated to provide 1.6 g N/100 g diet daily for the entire study period. The recorded feed intakes were used to estimate Nitrogen Intake and Nitrogen balance of the rats. There were no significant differences in the maintenance weight of the rats at p> 0.05. The rats fed diets from Cajanus cajan ate more than others (63.29 g) while the least intake (37.50 g) was observed for the rats fed Mucuna diets. The highest Biological value (88%) and Net Protein Utilisation (NPU) (83%) were observed in rats fed diets from Cajanus cajan and these were significantly different (p<0.05) from that of Mucuna blends (40%, 37%) for BV and NPU respectively. It could be concluded that the blends from the tested legumes with the exception of Mucuna gave diets of high nutritive quality that can be used in the formulation of complimentary food for children.

Keywords: Animal studies, legumes, nutritive value

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