ABSTRACT

 This study is carried out to assessed the nutrients, phytochemicals and sensory properties of Okpa cooked with three leaves: bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), scent leaf(Ocimum gratissimum), and fluted pumpkin leaf (Telfairia occidentalism. Experimental design was adopted for the study. Materials used for this study include Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean (L) Verde), bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), scent leaf (Ocimum gratissimum) and fluted pumpkin leaf (Telfairia occidentalism which was purchased from Ubanni Main Market in Abia State. Proximate, vitamin, mineral, phytochemical composition and sensory evaluation of the samples were determined with standard the use methods. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the mean of the samples and were presented in mean and standard deviation. P-value (p<0.05) is statistically significant and accepted. Findings of the study revealed that sample SO was significantly higher in protein with the value of 15.91%, followed by sample S3 with the value of 15.10% and sample SI was found significantly low in protein contents with the value of 12.38%. Sample SO that is 100% okpa contain the highest amount of fat (25.91%) and sample SI that is prepared with uziza leaf contain the least (20.92%) fat contents. Sample S3 was significantly higher in fibre contents with the value of 7.91% and sample SO had the least (3.76%) fibre contents. Sample SI was significantly higher in moisture content (9.97%) and carbohydrate content (45.95%) while sample S3 had the least moisture content (7.01%) and carbohydrate content (40.70%). Sample SO was found significantly higher in energy value with the value of 466.03kcal followed by sample S2 with the value of 445.02kcal and sample SI had the least (421.6kcal) energy value. Sample S2 was significantly higher in pro-vitamin A (19.50 mg/lOOg), vitamin C (17.92 mg/lOOg) and folate (4.72 mg/lOOg) contents while Sample SO had the least provitamin A (9.35 mg/lOOg), vitamin C (2.94 mg/lOOg) and folate (1.91 mg/lOOg), respectively. Sample SI was higher in calcium content with the value of 9.41 mg/lOOg followed by sample S2 (11.64 mg/lOOg) and sample SO had the least of calcium content with the value of 9.41 mg/lOOg. Sample S3 had the highest iron content with the value of 7.41 mg/lOOg followed by sample S2 (6.40 mg/lOOg) and sample SO had the least iron content with the value of 1.95 mg/lOOg. Sample S2 had the highest zinc content with the value of 12.39 mg/lOOg and sample SO had the least zinc content with the value of 11.32 mg/lOOg. Phytochemical composition of the study showed that there is no significant . difference in the alkaloid content ofsample SI (1.89 mg/lOOg), sample S2 (1.94 mg/lOOg) and sample S3 (1.87 mg/lOOg) and sample SO had the least alkaloid content with the value of 1.21 mg/lOOg. Sample S3 had the highest phenolic (1.28 mg/lOOg) and tannins (1.58 mg/lOOg) contents. Sample SO was generally accepted by the panellist with the mean score of 6.55 followed by sample SI (6.40) and S2 (6.45) while sample S3 was less generally accepted by the panellist with the mean score of 4.65. In conclusion, the okpa produced in this study contain good amount of nutrient and the whole okpa was most preferred compared to the ones prepared with leafy vegetables.