ABSTRACT

The study investigated the quality attributes of ugba (Pentaclethra macrophylla) produced using different boiling and fermentation periods. The African bean seeds were boiled at different time intervals (2, 3 and 4 h) and fermented at three respective time intervals (72, 96 and 120 h) to produce ugba. Proximate composition, mineral, anti-nutritional contents, microbial analysis and as well as sensory evaluation were carried out on the different ugba samples. Statistical analysis was done using analysis of variance to determine the significant difference at 95% confidence level. Proximate composition showed that the crude protein (33.48%), fat (18.47%), fibre (2.49%), ash (2.27%), moisture (24.81%) and carbohydrate (18.48%) were highest the in raw ugba seeds. Mineral analysis showed that raw ugba seed samples had the highest sodium concentration among all the elements analyzed and were found to be highest in all other elements analyzed in the order: Na (228.77 mg/100g) > K (190.27 mg/100g) >Ca (189.71 mg/100g) > P (177.20 mg/100g) > Mg (18.07 mg/100g) > Fe (16.00 mg/100g). The tannin content ranged from 0.07 – 0.34%, phy6uytate (0.02 – 0.23%), oxalate (0.01 – 0.19%) and alkaloid (0.02 – 0.27%). These low contents imply that the ugba samples could be beneficial for human consumption. The result of microbial analysis showed that the following microorganisms were involved in the fermentation of the ugba samples irrespective of the boiling time: Staphylococcus, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Bacillu, E.coli. Lactobacillus, Aspergillus, Penicillum, Fusarium, Rhizopus, Saccharomyces spp. but only Bacillus and Pseudomonas were persistent during fermentation with Pseudomonas disappearing at the later stages of fermentation (after 48 h). The general acceptability assessment showed that the ugba sample boiled and fermented at 72 h was found to be the best among others. This study concluded that ugba sample obtained with fermentation at 72h and beyond had desirable proximate composition and low anti-nutritional factors, which could be useful in enhancing human nutrition.