CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION AND POTENTIAL OF SOME UNDERUTILIZED TROPICAL BIOMASS - I - FLUTED PUMPKIN (TELFAIRIA-OCCIDENTALIS)

The seeds of Telfairia occidentalis have been subjected to standard ch emical analysis to evaluate their properties. Proximate analysis indic ated a low moisture content (6.30 +/- 0.50%). The ash content was slig htly higher than the range recommended for compounding of animal feed (3.44 +/- 0.06%). The carbohydrate content was low (16.5 +/- 0.12%). S tarch, however, constituted the dominant carbohydrate (62.5 +/- 0.48), while three sugars, glucose, fructose and sucrose were detected in th e seed. The crude protein in the seed was high (16.0 +/- 0.03%), a val ue which compared favourably with high protein seeds and nuts. In all, 16 amino acids were detected in the protein. Glutamic acid showed the highest concentration (16.4 g 100 g(-1)), while lysine showed the low est (2.6 g 100 g(-1)). The brown oil extracted from the seed (yield 48 .6 +/- 0.94) had the following physicochemical properties; acid value, 3.05 +/- 0.80 g, saponification value 166 +/- 1.34 mg/KOH g(-1), free fatty acids, 0.3 g and peroxide value 3.02 +/- 0.07 mg Eq kg(-1). The iodine value (80.1 +/- 0.10)g 100 g(-1) indicated a preponderance of unsaturated fatty acid. Four fatty acids were detected whilst unsatura ted acids constituted 61.3 g. Triglyceride was the dominant lipid spec ies while hydrocarbons, waxes, sterols and sterol esters and higher al cohols, were detected in the unsaponifable matter. Results of nutritio nally valuable mineral elements indicated that potassium occurred at t he highest concentration. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights re served.