Determination of the chemical composition of the ripe and unripe ballnut kernel (Calophyllum inophyllum) meals

Abstract

This research was carried out to evaluate the chemical composition of ripe and unripe ballnut kernel meals. The ripe and unripe samples were harvested, decorticated and the kernels oven dried at 50oC for 24 hours before milling and storage at room temperature in labelled containers. The proximate, mineral, amino acids and phytochemical composition of the ballnut kernel meals were determined. Data generated were subjected to analysis of variance procedures using SPSS 17.0 Windows computer software package with t-test as a statistical tool. The results showed that unripe ballnut kernel was superior in metabolizable energy (3707.60±2.64 kcal/kg), sodium (0.25%), potassium (0.88%), magnesium (0.29%), calcium (0.19%) and iron (107.45%) to ripe ballnut kernel meal. The phytochemicals in the two samples were phytic acids, oxalic acid, alkaloids, saponins, tannins and hydrogen cyanides. The concentration of the phytochemicals in the two samples was not significantly (P>0.05) different. The concentration of amino acids between the two samples was statistically (P>0.05) similar. From this study, it was concluded that the ripe and unripe ballnut kernel meal was similar in their composition and could therefore serve as potential animal feed resources owing to high energy level, amino acids profile as well as low fibre and other anti-nutritional factors.