The proximate composition of some tropical legume seeds grown in two states in Nigeria

Abstract

Investigations into the variations in food values and energy potentials of four staple foods collected from two states in Nigeria, using whole grains, decorticated seeds and defatted seeds, were carried out. They were found to contain high levels of crude protein ranging from 23.2% to 26.7%, 23.0% to 28.0% and 39.0% to 48.4% for Afzelia africana, Canavalia ensiformis and Pentaclethra macrophylla, respectively; high energy values of 5.18 kcal g-1 to 5.66 kcal g-l, 4.26 kcal g-1 to 4.30 kcal g-1, 3.90 kcal g-1 to 4.15 kcal g-1, 5.60 kcal g-1 to 6.15 kcal g-1 for Afzelia, Brachystegia, Canavalia and Pentaclethra, respectively; and oil levels of 37.15% to 39.50% and 39.0% to 51.5% for Afzelia and Pentaclethra, respectively. The highest levels of calcium (0.752%) and phosphorus (0.542%) were obtained with Brachystegia and Canavalia, respectively. An ANOVA test of the nutrient contents, when subjected to arcsin transformation, indicated a highly significant difference (P ≤ 0.001) with location. Likewise, the coefficient of determination showed positive significant differences (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) between locations.