Abstract
The major limiting factor to the utilisation of loofah gourd seeds (LGS) as food is its high content of anti-nutrient. Heat processing is one of the process of reducing the concentration of anti-nutrients in food resources which may adversely influence the amino acids contents of such resources. Raw seeds of loofah gourds (RLGS) were toasted (TLGS), boiled (BLGS) and cooked (CGLS) and analysed for the amino acids content. The amino acids score, the essential amino acids score and the predicted (P-PER) of the raw and heat treated RLGS were calculated using standard equations. Results revealed that heat treatment significantly reduced (P<0.05) the essential amino acids, total sulphur containing amino acids and total basic amino acids while significantly (P<0.05) increasing the total amino acids, and total non-essential amino acids. cysteine is the most reduced amino acids and toasting had the highest reduction effect on the amino acids. P-PER of LGS were significantly enhanced by heat processing. Glutamic acid and aspartic acid were the most abundant amino acids while cysteine and methionine were the major limiting amino acids in the raw and processed LGS. In conclusion, heat processing enhances the nutritional potentials of LGS and wet heat processing boiling and cooking are the most preferred processing methods for loofah gourd seed.
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