Abstract
Studies conducted in the delta and lower valley of Senegal river have demonstrated through ethnobotanical surveys, the importance of Nymphaea lotus L. and Nymphaea micrantha Guill. et Perr in the diet and in the pharmacopoeia. The seeds are used with good appreciation by the indigenous population as a welding food. But studies addressing their biochemical and nutritional aspects are still very rare in the literature. This study was initiated in order to fill this gap and allow a better appreciation of the nutritional and energetic potentialities of these seeds. For this purpose, seeds were collected in effluent from the Senegal River, dried in the shade and put into three different batches: a batch of red seeds of N. lotus, a batch of Black seeds of N. lotus and a batch of seeds of N. micrantha. The biochemical analyses gave their moisture content (9.17% ± 0.2% to 13.36% ± 3.46%), aw (0.46% to 0.71%), protein (7.90% ± 1.25% to 8.24% ± 0.5%), lipid (2.32% ± 0.45% to 4.29% ± 1.0%), carbohydrate (74.49% ± 0.9% and 77.66% ± 1.65%), mineral matter (1.77% ± 0.06% to 2.55% ± 0.08%). All three types of seeds have high levels of potassium (481.10% ± 17.62% to 770.81% ± 42.33%), magnesium (312.71% ± 14.08% to 518.67% ± 15.23%) and calcium (188.81% ± 8.52% to 296.52% ± 16%. Their energy values (350.54 ± 15.21 kcal/100g to 375.7 ± 3.48 Kcal/100g), are closed to other cereals consumed in the human diet in Senegal. Therefore, these seeds offer the opportunity to diversify the diet in the delta and lower valley of the Senegal River.
Highlights
Food security and safety are major challenges in countries around the world, currently facing climate hazards and population growth
Most of the plant species can provide food and are used to complete nutrients [5]. They are used for traditional medicines [6], such as Dioscorea rotundata [7], Maerua pseudopetalosa [8] and Cyperus esculentus [9]
They are aquatic species that are abundant in the freshwater of the Senegal River valley
Summary
Food security and safety are major challenges in countries around the world, currently facing climate hazards and population growth. 821 million people or one person out of nine, are suffering from hunger in 2017 [1] This remains a serious problem in Africa where the population was above exceeded 1 billion in 2009 and continues to grow [2]. Wild fruits of Nymphaea lotus and Nymphaea micrantha fall into this group They are aquatic species that are abundant in the freshwater of the Senegal River valley. In Senegal, seeds of N. lotus and N. micrantha have been used to supplement diet in time of food shortage [16] They have numerous socio economic uses in the region of Senegal River valley [16] such as ornamental characters [10], sold for therapeutic properties [11] [12], and for tanning [13]. This study was initiated in order to fill this gap and to allow a better appreciation of the nutritional potentialities of Nymphaea’s seeds
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