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Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences Vol.3(1) pp.257 –261 February 2012.
Available online http://www.globalresearchjournals.org/?a=journal&id=jabs
Copyright ©2012 Global Research Journals
Case Study.
Effect of Processing Method on the Proximate, Mineral and Fungi Properties of Groundnut (Arachis hypogea) Seed
Eke-Ejiofor, J1,Kiin –Kabari, D B.1 and Chukwu, E. C.2
1Department of Food Science and Technology, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
2Department of Applied and Environmental Biology, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Corresponding Author:E-mail: joyekee@yahoo.co.uk,Tel: +2347033117436
Accepted 28th January 2012.
Abstract
Raw, boiled and roasted groundnut (Arachis hypogea) seeds were analysed for proximate, mineral and fungi properties. The results revealed that the raw, boiled and roasted seeds contained 3.76%, 5.70%, 2.90% moisture, 24.5%, 16.11%, 20.57% crude protein, 47.9%, 38.81%, 50.11% fat, 11.31%, 18.04%, 13.05% carbohydrate, 3.04%, 2.70%, 2.90% ash, 9.49%, 18.64%, 10.47% fibre and 574.3kcal/g, 493.61kcal/g, 585.19kcal/g of energy respectively. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the raw and heat processed samples. Boiling increased moisture, carbohydrate and fibre contents, while crude protein, fat and ash decreased with boiling when compared to the raw and roasted groundnut. Minerals increased with heat processing. Sodium, potassium and magnesium ranged from 0.9%- 2.10%, 0.18%- 0.23% and 0.21%- 0.45% respectively with the raw sample having the least value. Whereas calcium ranged from 1.24% - 1.48%, iron ranged from 0.30% -0.39% with the boiled sample having the highest value. The groundnut samples had a total of six fungi isolates with varying degree of severity, including Geotrichum candidum, Sclerotium rolfsii, Botrytis cinerea, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer and Penicillum italicum. Heat processing eliminated Sclerotium rolfsii and Aspergillus niger, leaving Geotrichum candidum 80% and Botrytis cinerea 20%, in the boiled seed while Rhizopus stolonifer 80% and Penicillum italicum 20% were predominant in the roasted seeds.
Keywords: Processing methods, Groundnut, Proximate, mineral, fungi flora.