ABSTRACT

 The present study evaluated the physicochemical and nutritional value ofoils obtained from ’iiiee different varieties of African oil bean seeds namely Ugba Nsukka, Ugba Ghana and Ugoa Cameroon. These seeds were processed into flour and oil extracted from there using Soxhlet extraction methods. The oil yield ofthe extracted oils was calculated and were further analysed for their physicochemical properties, fatty acid profile and nutritional quality using standard methods. Commercial oil sample was used as the reference sample. Data obtained from analytical procedure were subjected to statistical procedure at 95% confidence interval. The percentage oil yield for Ghana variety was 50.20%, oil yield for Cameroon variety was 42.10% and 37.40% for Nsukka variety. Physicochemical analysis showed that moisture content ofAfrican oil bean seed oils ranged from 0.07 to 1.92%, specific gravity ranged from 0.92 to 0.94 g/cm3, refractive index ranged from 1.453 to 1.473, smoke point ranged from 190.35 to 233.31 °C, fire point ranged from 311.26 to 376.10 °C and cloud point ranged from -6.20 to 3.94°C. Fatty acid profile analysis showed that African oil bean seed oil contains 12 fatty acid including lauric acid, eicosedienoic acid and tetracosapentaenoic acid which are absent in the reference sample. The total saturated fatty acid content, SFA ranged from 11.12% to 13.52%. Arachidic acid was the most significant SFA in the control, palmitic was tire most significant SFA in Ghana and Nsukka variety of African oil bean seed oil while myristic fatty acid was the most significant SFA in Cameroon variety ofAfrican oil bean seed oil. Unsaturated fatty acids, UFA, ranged from 77.61% to 88.88%. Nsukka variety had the highest unsaturation level followed by Cameroon variety while Ghana variety had the lowest level ofunsaturation. Linoleic acid was the most significant unsaturated fatty acid among the oil samples, followed by oleic fatty acid, then linolenic acid. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) ranged from 21.29% to 25.81% while polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ranged from 54.89% to 67.59%. In terms of MUFA/PUFA, Ghana variety ofAfrican oil bean seed oil had higher value than other varieties and the control, followed by the control oil. Nsukka variety had the lowest MUFA/PUFA concentration. P/S index ranged from 2.45 to 6.08%. Al (atherogenicity index) values ranged from 0.22 to 0.30% while TI (Thrombogenicity Index) values ranged from 0.07 to 0.17%. The ratio of omega 6/omega 3 (co6/®3) fatty acids was higher in control oil with a value of4.69%% than inAfrican oil bean seed oils (1.48 - 1.85%). Conclusively, different varieties ofAfrican oil bean seed oils possess different properties.