PHYTOCHEMICALS AND PROXIMATE EVALUATIONS OF RAW AND PROCESSED AFRICAN STAR APPLE (CHRYSOPHYLLUM ALBIDUM) KERNELS

Abstract

Effect of different processing methods on phytochemical and proximate compositions of African star apple (Chrysophyllum albidum) kernels was investigated. Raw African star apple kernels were collected from African star apple fruit farmers in Osogbo, Osun state, Nigeria for the study. Four different processing methods (boiling, fermentation, soaking and roasting) were carried out. All the processed kernels were milled and taken to the laboratory for phytochemical and proximate analyses. The data generated were subjected to statistical analysis software package, to compare the means composition of the processed kernels. Significance was accepted at P < 0.05. Result of the study shows that raw african star apple kernels contains 93.21% dry matter, 12.03% crude protein, 5.10% crude fibre, 1.45% ether extract, 1.85% ash and 72.78% NFE and very high in gross energy (400.10 Kcal/100 g). It also contains some anti-nutritional factors such as saponin (5.00mg/100g), tannin (7.33g/100g), oxalate (12.41mg/100g) and phytate (10.06mg/100g). Processing significantly reduced (P<0.05) crude protein in all the methods except boiling. Boiling and roasting significantly increased the energy content of the kernels. Anti nutritional factors were significantly reduced (P<0.05) by the processing methods although boiling gave the highest percentage reduction of anti nutritional factors. It was concluded that African star apple kernel should be processed through boiling before being included in the diets of monogastric animals