Amino Acid Composition of Cowpea Grains Preserved With Mixtures OF Neem (Azadirachta indica ) and Moringa (Moringa oleifera) Seed Oils

Abstract

Dry cowpea grains are important in Africa but its storage has posed a serious challenge to farmers and researchers. Various bio-insecticides have been used for the preservation of cowpea grains in Africa, yet little effort has been made to ascertain their effects on the nutritional quality of the cowpea grains. The effect of mixture of neem and moringa seed oils used for the preservation of cowpea grains on its amino acid composition was investigated. The seed oils were extracted traditionally and applied on cowpea grain at concentrations of (2.5 µl/g and 5.0 µl/g) in ratio 1:2 and 1:3. The treated cowpea grain samples were stored for a period of 270 days. The amino acid composition of the treated cowpea grains was determined at the end of every 90 days. The result showed that the mixture of neem and moringa seed oils in ratio 1:3 and at a concentration of 5.0 µl/g significantly (P<0.05) improved the concentration of amino acids composition of the treated cowpea while no significant (P<0.05) difference in the concentration of the amino acid composition of cowpea samples treated with ratio 1:3/2.5 µl/g of the mixture of these oils. There was significant improvement in the concentrations of all the amino acids present as storage period progressed, especially at 180 days of storage. The study concludes that the mixtures of these oils especially ratios 1:3/2.5 µl/g and 1:3/5.0 µl/g may be nutritionally good for cowpea preservation.