Comparative Nutritional Values of Selected Curcubit Seeds in Minna Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

The proximate and anti-nutritional contents of the seeds of the selected curcubits were determined. The samples were collected from twenty different farms from the suburbs of Minna. They were treated appropriately for analysis using standard methods. The seeds had high crude protein (21.11±0.83 - 42.65±1.60%) and total lipid (36.00±1.30 - 53.20±1.93) contents but low crude fibre (1.50±0.01-5.00±0.03%). The moisture contents ranged from 3.10±0.20 to 7.00±1.05%. The values of anti-nutritional factors obtained ranged from 0.06±0.01 to 0.29±0.05% for the cyanide and 0.19±0.01 to 0.75±0.03% for the phytates. The oxalate contents ranged from 6.77±0.07 to 12.10±0.13% while the saponins ranged from 9.60±0.07 to 13.30±0.09%. Considering the levels of anti-nutritional contents of these seeds, their consumption may have no significant toxic effect on humans or his animals