ABSTRACT

Protein isolates were produced from fermented African oil bean seeds. Oil bean seeds were fermented for 3, 4 and 5 days respectively to obtain flour samples. Proximate and functional properties of the flours and protein isolates were analyzed. Results showed the proximate composition of defatted flours of fermented African oil bean seeds (ugba) as follows: protein content of 3, 4 and 5 day fermented seeds are 29.98, 30.00 and 34.54% respectively. Fat content of 3, 4 and 5 day fermented seeds are 0.98, 0.78 and 0.58% respectively. Fibre content of 3,4 and 5 day fermented samples are 6.60, 6.71 and 6.53% respectively. Ash content of 3, 4 and 5 day fermented samples are 4.06, 3.96 and 4.2 1% respectively. Moisture content of the 3, 4 and 5 day fermented samples are 9.10, 8.88 and 6.53% respectively while carbohydrate content of samples fermented for 3, 4 and 5 day are 49.25, 49.65 and 44.99% respectively. The results of the functional properties of the defatted flours of fermented African oil bean seeds (ugba) are as follows: bulk density of the 3, 4 and 5 day fermented samples are 0.604, 0.613 and 0.628 gm/mI respectively. Form capacity of the 3, 4 and 5 day fermented samples are 4.45, 5.43 and 5.43% respectively. Emulsion capacity of the 3, 4 and 5 day fermented sample are 51.55, 52.72 and 58.28% respectively. Wettabiity of the 3, 4 and 5 day fermented samples are 56.00, 58.00 and 54.30% respectively. Foam stability and gelation capacity had no results in all the samples with respect to days of fermentation. The result for the proximate composition of protein isolate obtained from African oil bean flour showed that the protein content of the 3, 4 and 5 day fermented samples are 84.47, 85.37 and 86.87 respectively. The fat and fibre content indicated no results with respect to fermentation. Ash content of the 3, 4 and 5 day fermented sample are 3.83, 3.46 and 3.66% respectively. The moisture content of the 3, 4 and 5 day fermented samples are 5.86, 5.83 and 5.16% respectively while carbohydrate content of the 3, 4 and 5 days fermentation periods were 0.90, 0.90 and 0.90% respectively. The result for the functional properties of protein isolate obtained from African oil bean flour showed that the bulk density of the 3, 4 and 5 days fermentation periods are 0.089, 0.09 1 and 0.092 respectively. The foam capacity of the 3, 4 and 5 day fermentation periods are 43.17, 43.80 and 44.52% respectively. The emulsion capacity of the 3, 4 and 5 day fermented sample are 49.27, 49.13 and 49.38% respectively. The wettability of the 3, 4 and 5 day fermented sample are 8.00, 81.70 and 83.00% respectively. The gelation capacity and foam stability indicate no result in all the days of fermentation periods