Effects of thermal processing on the nutritional and functional properties of defatted conophor nut (Tetracarpidium conophorum) flour and protein isolates.

David O Iyenagbe,Adebanjo A Badejo,Sunday A Malomo,Atinuke O Idowu,Tayo N Fagbemi

doi:10.1002/fsn3.508

Abstract

Conophor nut (Tetracarpidium conophorum) was processed using different heat treatments to explore its full potential as food ingredients. The raw, boiled, and toasted nuts were defatted and the proteins isolated by alkaline solubilization and isoelectric precipitation. The variously processed nuts were analyzed for the proximate and amino acid compositions, and functional properties. The protein contents of the isolate ranges between 86.86 g/100g and 87.74 g/100 g, about 1.5‐fold higher than those of the defatted flour samples. The essential amino acids of the isolates ranged between 40.57%–41.55%. Glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and arginine were the most predominant amino acids, while methionine and lysine were the first and second limiting amino acids, respectively. The protein efficiency ratio, biological values as well as the functional properties of the proteins were improved with processing. These properties may enhance the potential use of conophor nut protein isolates as high‐quality protein ingredient in food systems.

Highlights

Animal protein is still far more expensive than their plant counterpart for most dwellers of the developing countries, and for years this has aroused the rigorous researches on underutilized legumes and oilseeds that can be used as protein source in food ingredients and functional foods formulation (Chavan, McKenzie, & Shahidi, 2001; Sreerama, Neelam, Sashikala, & Pratape, 2010)
The values recorded for the protein content of the isolates in this study is higher than the 80% reported by Gbadamosi et al (2012b)
The present investigation has revealed that conophor nut has the potential for the preparation of plant protein isolates with protein content of over 80%

Summary

| INTRODUCTION

Animal protein is still far more expensive than their plant counterpart for most dwellers of the developing countries, and for years this has aroused the rigorous researches on underutilized legumes and oilseeds that can be used as protein source in food ingredients and functional foods formulation (Chavan, McKenzie, & Shahidi, 2001; Sreerama, Neelam, Sashikala, & Pratape, 2010). The nut is rich in minerals and high-quality proteins (Odoemelam, 2003; Edem, Dosunmu, & Bassey, 2009) This makes it a potential plant protein that can supplement the monotonous starchy staples being consumed by many in developing countries with little or no alternatives. Conophor nut was processed by boiling and toasting and the effect of these heat processing operations on the nutritional quality and functional characteristics of the defatted oil seeds and protein isolates were analyzed along with the amino acid composition. This is expected to provide information on the possible uses of conophor proteins as potential functional ingredients and food supplements

| MATERIALS AND METHODS

| RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

| CONCLUSION