ASSESSMENT OF THE PHYTOCHEMICAL AND FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF PRE-TREATED ADUWA (BALANITES AEQYPTIACA) SEED MEAL FOUR

Abstract

Effects of pretreatments on the phytochemical properties of Balanites aeqyptiaca seed meal were investigated. Balanites aegyptiaca, belongs to the family Balaniteceae, that grows in tropical zones and is employed as animal forage. Its leaves are cooked and the seeds contains high quality oil and protein content. In this experiment, Balanites aeqyptiaca seeds were subjected to three treatments: First was toasting just before milling, oil extraction and finally meal cake production. Second was boiling, drying, toasting, milling, oil extracting and finally meal cake production. The third one was soaking overnight at ambient temperature, toasting, oil extraction and ultimately production of meal cake. In addition, raw seeds were marked as control. The main constituents were reported as 13.3-24.01% for water, 14.4-24% for lipid, 1.43-4.02% for crude fiber, 7.36-8.97% for moisture content and 43.79-52.50 % for carbohydrates. Further experiments also were performed to evaluate photo-chemicals like saponnins, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols and tannins in pre-treated samples. These compounds were ranged between 5.81-8.63 mg/g in saponnins, 0.65-1.42 mg/g in alkaloids, 9.28-11.17 mg/g in flavonoids, 2.00-4.00 mg/g in phenols and 0.00-2.40 mg/g in tannins. To characterize deeply the pre-treated samples, some of the functional properties like bulk density, least gelation capacity, oil and water absorption were also examined. The results indicated that foaming capacity ranged between 16.06-67.3 %, bulk density value ranged from 60-75 g/ml, Least gelation capacity was 11.03-12.74 g/ml, oil absorption and water absorption capacity values ranged between 0.00-0.01g/ml and 0.08-0.26g/ml respectively.