Abstract
Twelve Nigerian cowpea varieties were investigated for physical properties, iron contents and dialysable iron. The seed coat accounted for 5.8-11.4% of the weight of the seeds, leached solids 5.1-13.6%, swelling capacity 43.9-94.5% and the seed density ranged between 0.91-1.28g/cm3.There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the iron contents of the whole, peeled, cooked and soaked cowpea samples. While processing procedures such as seed coat removal did not significantly affect the dialysable iron, cooking of the beans led to significant increases in the diffusibility of iron. However, the addition of ‘Kanwa’, an alkaline salt, lowered the dialysable iron significantly (P < 0.05). The implications of these results on the diets of Nigerians in relation to iron nutrition are discussed.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
