Proximate, Vitamins and Elemental Analysis of seeds of Telfairia occidentalis and Anacardium occidentale Nuts

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Abstract

Seeds of Telfairia occidentalis (fluted pumpkin) and Anacardium occidentale (cashew nuts) were analyzed for their proximate composition, elements and vitamins. The fluted pumpkin fruits and cashew nuts were purchased randomly from dealers in Uyo local Government area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The samples were stored in black polythene bags and conveyed to the laboratory for analysis. All analytical methods were adopted from those recommended by Association of Official Analytical Chemist Proximate compositions in mg/100g were; moisture content (36.18  2.65, 27.48  0.96), crude protein (28.88  2.14, 24.00  0.81), ash content (5.20  0.27, 3.60  0.61), crude fibre (3.45  0.47, 2.40  0.41), total carbohydrate (4.06  0.50, 27.85  0.36), lipid (58.41  0.49, 42.15  0.23) and energy(kcal/100g) (657.45, 583.75  0.23) respectively. Mean concentrations (mg/100g) of magnesium, iron, calcium, zinc, sodium, potassium, manganese and phosphorus (Pumpkin seed, cashew nuts) were (11.94  0.08, 12.15  0.13), (0.33  0.05, 0.36  0.04), (135.40  1.06, 149.25  0.64), (1.75  0.03, 3.36  0.04), (1.48  0.01, 1.43  0.02), (57.30  0.29, 47.78  0.62), (<0.002, 0.59  0.61) and (73.50  2.37, 58.90  0.22) respectively. The vitamins A and C composition (mg/100gDM) of fluted pumpkin seeds and cashew nuts were, vitamin A; (1.86, 6.76), vitamin C;(2.12, 156.78). Based on this findings, the consumption of these seed is advocated in this work.

Keywords: Proximate, vitamins, mineral composition, fluted pumpkin, cashew seeds

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