ABSTRACT

The effect of different durations of boiling on nutrient composition and anti-nutrient contents of Canavalia plagiosperina (red variety) was carried out using proximate, minerals (Micro and Marco), gross energy, anti-nutritional factors such as (Canavanine, Trypsin inhibitors and Tannin) and amino acid profile (essential and non essential amino acid) as indices. The samples were boiled for 30minutes, 60minutes and 90minutes. Both the raw and processed seed were later dried at 60°c, milled and chemically analyzed. The raw samples were significantly (P<0.05) higher than the processed forms in all the parameters considered. Among the processed seeds, treatment 2 (CP, 29.21% ; GE, 3.87 Kcal/g) had the highest values while seed cooked for 90minutes (CP 24.93%; GE, 3.83Kcal/g) had the lowest values making T2 (CP 29.21%; GE, 3.87Kcal/g) the choice for proximate and energy composition. For both macro and micro mineral composition, there were significant (P<0.05) differences among the treatment means. It followed similar trend like proximate and gross energy composition. The macro and micro minerals favored teatment2 (Na, 0.02; K, 0.38, Ca, 0.15; P, 0.29; Mg, 0.05; Mn, 117.50; Zn, 41.50; Cu, 12.35 ; fe, 68.8) among the processed seeds. Both the essential and nonessential amino acid favored treatment 2 (valine, 0.32; threonine, 0.12; isoleucine, 0.26; leucine, 0.55; lysinc, o.28; methionine, 0.002; glycine, 040; alanine, 0.40; serine, 0.13; proline, 0.16; aspartate, 1.26 ; glutamate, 2.04) among the processed forms. The ant nutritional factors were generally reduced as a result of processing making the raw value  to be significantly (P<0.05) higher than other treatments, treatment 4 (Can, 3.13; Tannin; 0.94; Tannin, 0.02) had the highest percentage reduction in all the anti-nutritional factors considered making treatment 4 (Can, 3.13; Tannin, 0.94; tannin, 0.02) the choice treatment followed by treatment 3 (Can, 3.20; Tannin, 26.77;Tannin, 0.06). Considering CP content of 29.21% and gross energy content of 3.87kca1/g, mineral composition and high values of essential and non — essential amino acids and appreciable reduction of anti-nutritional factors, treatment 2 (seed boiled for 30minutes) is therefore recommended.