Abstract

Three edible vegetables, Pterocarpus mildbraedii (mkpafere), Lasianthera africanum (editan) and Piper guineense (odusa) consumed by people of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria were purchased from Akpan Andem market in Uyo, the State capital. The vegetables were analysed for the presence of anti-nutrients (HCN, tannin, phytate and oxalate), and the effect of heating at 50 °C for 5 minutes, 90 °C for 5 minutes and 90 °C for 15 minutes in water. Tannins among the anti-nutrients, recorded highest level for all vegetables. At 50 °C for 5 minutes, HCN, tannin, phytate, total oxalate and soluble oxalate respectively, reduced by 17.6%, 9.1%, 11.0%, 9.5% and 23.8% (Pterocarpus mildbraedii), 13.9%, 6.1%, 1.4%, 13.8% and 13.0% (Lasianthera africanum), and 14.1%, 35.1%, 5.8%, 15.4% and 22.2% (Piper guineense). The percentage reductions for HCN, tannin, phytate, total oxalate and soluble oxalate were 23.6%, 53.4%, 25.5%, 56.2% and 52.4% (Pterocarpus mildbraedii), 43.5%, 25.0%, 51.8%, 37.9% and 52.2% (Lasianthera africanum), 50.0%, 51.9%, 40.2%, 23.0% and 33.3% (Piper guineense) respectively, after heating at 90 °C for 15 minutes. The study revealed reduction of anti-nutrients on heating; and 90 °C as optimum temperature, with heating time of not less than 15 minutes for processing the vegetables.

Highlights

  • Vegetables form an integral part of meals of people in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

  • The effects of temperature on the antinutrients content of Pterocarpus mildbraedii, Lasianthera africanum and Piper guineense are presented in Figure 3 and Table 1

  • The hydrocyanic acid (HCN) content decreased with heating; at 50oC for 5 minutes, percentage reductions were 17.6%, 13.9% and 14.1%, and 90oC for 15 minutes, 23.6%, 43.5% and 50% for Pterocarpus mildbraedii, Lasianthera africanum and Piper guineense respectively

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Summary

Introduction

Vegetables form an integral part of meals of people in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. Vegetables present a rich source of vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein. Green leafy vegetables despite their nutritional value are to be consumed with caution because of the presence in them of toxic anti-nutrients[1,2,3,4,5]. Anti-nutrients are natural compounds that interfere with the absorption of nutrients, are known to reduce nutrients availability to animals and humans[6,7,8,9]. Adeboye and Babajide[1] report that the presence of anti-nutrient components in green leafy vegetables impair efficient utilization of calcium, zinc, iron and copper by the formation of insoluble complexes with the mineral elements

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