ABSTRACT

Effect of cooking time and tenderizers on nutrients and anti-nutrient factors in African breadfruit seeds was investigated. African breadfruit seeds were separately cooked with plantain leaf ash, palm inflorescence and akanwa infusion in a separate pot. Thereafter, the cooking time of the cooked African breadfruit seeds was determined prior to evaluation of their proximate composition, mineral content, vitamin content, Antinutrient factors and sensory properties using standard analytical procedures. Data obtained were statistically analysed using SPSS version 22.0. The proximate analysis showed that African breadfruit cooked without tenderizers (ABF1) had the highest moisture, fat and carbohydrate content. The highest crude protein content was obtained in African breadfruit cooked with akanwa (ABF2) and plantain leaf ash infusion (ABF3) with African breadfruit seeds cooked with plantain leaf ash infusion having the highest dietary fibre. Highest value of ash was obtained in African breadfruit cooked with plant inflorescence ash infusion (ABF4). The mineral content of the cooked African breadfruit seeds showed that African breadfruit cooked without tenderizers had the highest phosphors content while African breadfruit cooked with akanwa had the highest potassium and iron content. African breadfruit cooked with plantain leaf ash infusion had the highest magnesium and calcium content whereas African breadfruit cooked palm inflorescence ash infusion had the highest value of sodium. The vitamin content of the African breadfruit seeds showed that the highest value of pro-vitamin A, vitamin B3, B6 and E was obtained in African breadfruit cooked with plant inflorescence ash infusion whereas the highest value of vitamin B1 and B3 were obtained in African breadfruit cooked without tenderizers and African breadfruit cooked with plantain leaf ash infusion, respectively. Antinutrient content of the cooked African breadfruit seeds revealed that the highest value of trypsin inhibitor and saponin was obtained in African breadfruit cooked with plant inflorescence ash infusion while highest value of phytate and tannin was obtained in African breadfruit cooked without tenderizer and African breadfruit cooked with plantain ash infusion respectively. African breadfruit cooked without tenderizer had the highest cooking time while African breadfruit cooked with plant inflorescence ash infusion recorded the least cooking time.