Abstract
Spices have been frequently added to foods since ancient times, not only to enhance the taste but also as preservatives and medicinal agents. Their usage may be of concern due to possible contamination during processing and handling. The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical properties and heavy metals concentrations in some indigenous spices sold at two main markets namely Bodija and Apata markets in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. A total of eight commonly consumed spices were purposely analyzed for their proximate and mineral composition, physicochemical properties and anti-nutrients contents. Proximate analyses showed that the spices to contained (fresh matter ‘As consumed’) moisture content ranging from 11.74g in thyme to 59.36g/100g in scent leaves. Crude protein, fat, fibre, ash and carbohydrate contents ranged between 3.72 – 15.07g, 1.31 – 8.28g, 1.96 – 11.38g, 1.11 – 7.81g, and 17.80 – 50.77g/100g sample, respectively. All the spices contained high levels of potassium (176.3 – 739.6 mg), sodium (60.6 – 317 mg), calcium (78.5 – 423.9 mg), magnesium (82 – 322.1 mg) and iron (5.78 – 20.10 mg), but low levels of heavy metals – copper (0.17 – 0.68 mg), and manganese (0.32 – 1.05 mg)/100g respectively. Flavonoid was the most abundant phytochemical, while terpene was the least phytochemical in all the samples. The samples had very low concentrations of anti-nutrients, and could pose no threat to human health, as their values were within the regulatory standard. The antioxidants and phytochemicals in the spices can help in building up immunity and prevention of non-communicable diseases, hence, their consumption should be encouraged.
Highlights
Spices are dried parts of plants, which have been used as dietary components often to improve colour, aroma, palatability and acceptability of food, as well as influence digestion and metabolism[1]
Capsicum chinense Linn, Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale were high in moisture content, constituting about half of the spices on fresh weight basis, while it constituted almost one-third of the constituents of Curcuma longa Linn, Syzgium aromaticum, and Myristica fragrans
The crude protein content of the spices ranged from 3.72 g in Allium sativum to 15.1 g in Myristica fragrans
Summary
Spices are dried parts of plants, which have been used as dietary components often to improve colour, aroma, palatability and acceptability of food, as well as influence digestion and metabolism[1]. They are either used in the form of dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or as vegetables[2]. Spices have been recognized to have some medicinal properties due to their antioxidant and antimicrobial actions[5] These benefits from spices are as a result of the presence of phytochemicals[6,7], which make each spice to have a unique aroma and flavour. Addition of spices that may be contaminated with trace and heavy metals to food as a habit may result in accumulation of these metals in human organs and lead to different health issues both in the middle and long terms[9]
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