Proximate Composition of Whole Seeds and Pulp of African Black Velvet Tamarind (Dialium guineense)

Abstract

Whole seeds and pulp of Dialium guineense have been used as medicinal remedies, as source of vitamin C and as flavour in snacks and non alcoholic beverages but not much work has been done on its proximate composition. This study is aimed at analysing the proximate composition of Dialium guineense. The method applied in this analytical determination were mainly that of the association of official analytical chemist (AOAC) which includes spectrophotometer, gravimetric and titrimetric and all determination were carried out in duplicate. Values obtained for the proximate analysis of whole seeds and pulp were; moisture (10.13% and 10.53%), dry matter (90.15% and 88.4%), ash (2.55% and 12.52%), organic matter (12.62% and 41.55%), crude fat (35.33% and 5.34%), crude fibre (13.52% and 1.05%), carbohydrate (43.9% and 58.65%), protein (17.44% and 3.94%) and total nitrogen free extract (2.79% and 0.65%) respectively. The results obtained from the proximate mineral composition of the whole seeds and pulp were; magnesium (0.16mg/l and 0.40mg/l), sodium (2.42mg/l and 2.88mg/l), iron (0.91mg/l and 1.43mg/l), calcium (0.54mg/l and 0.35mg/l) and potassium (0.34mg/l and 1.21mg/l) respectively. Values are significantly different from each other at P< 0.05. The results suggest that the whole seeds and pulp of D. guineense can serve as a good source of essential nutrients for human and livestock.