ABSTRACT

Proximate composition, vitamins, minerals, antinutrients and antimicrobial properties of four local spices were investigated. The spices were Monodora myristica (ehuru), Piper guineense (uziza), Xylopia aethiopica (uda), and Tetrapleura tetraptera (oshosho). Proximate analyses showed the spices to contain (on dry weight basis) moisture content ranging from 8.43 in the seeds of Xylopia aethiopica to 9.12% in Piper guineense. Crude fat ranged from 2.68 (P.guineense) to 12.47% in M myristica. Crude protein contents ranged from 5.28 in P guineense to 11.83% in the pods of X aethiopica. Ash content ranged from 5.60 (pods of Xylopia aethiopica) to 11.03% (Piper guineense ), Crude fibre ranging from 0.46 in P.guineense to 27.80% in Mmyristica and total carbohydrate content ranged from 30.64 in M myristica to 71.39% in P. guineense. All samples were good sources of carbohydrates ranging from 30.64 to 71.39%. The mineral composition ranged from 11.15 to 29.l2mg/l for Zinc. Copper ranged from 2.37 to 7.85mg/l. Calcium ranged from 630.74 to 5613.80mg/I, Magnesium from 131.52 to 145.63mg/l and Iron from 86.69 to 190.73mg/l. The vitamin composition ranged from 0.00010 to 0.00045mg/100g, 0.0165 to 0.00185mg/100g and 0.02635 to 0.07205mg/100g for Vitamin B1 , B2and B3respectively. Vitamin B6 was detected in only the seeds of Xaethiopica. Phytochemicai screening of the spices showed the presence of tannin, saponin, oxalates, flavonoid and phytate. The antinutrients ranged from 0.16 to 0.26 mg/100g for tannin, 0.14 to 0.39 mg/100g for saponin, 0.17 to 0.22 mg/100g for flaonoids, 0.03 to 0.09 mg/100g for phvtate and 0.10 to 0.l5mg/100g for oxalate. Anti-bacteria activity was observed against four types of bacteria strains; Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp and E.coli with varying range of inhibition against the food borne pathogen. The minimum inhibitory concentration (mm) ranged from 5.4 to 7.2 for E.coli, 5.3 to 7.5 for Streptococcus spp. and 4.8 to 6.4 for Staphylococcus aureus. These results suggest the potential use of these spices and their extracts for preventing the growth of these food borne pathogens.