Proximate Composition and Amino Acids Contents in Selected Legumes and Hura crepitans seed in Wukari Taraba State

Abstract

: The study evaluated the proximate composition and amino acid contents of selected legumes and Hura crepitans seed in Wukari,Taraba State, Nigeria. The Sand box seeds were collected from its tree in Wukari town, while black eyed pea and red kidney beans were purchased from Wukari market. The samples were processed into powder for proximate composition and amino profile. In all the samples, 18 amino acids were determined with higher values for aspartic acid, glutamic acid, leucine and phenylalanine while cysteine (0.43-0.79g/ 100g) had the lowest value in the samples analysed. Levels of amino acid ranged as: Sandbox seed had 0.79 ± 0.02 to 10.44 ± 0.02 g/100g, Black eyed pea seed had 0.51 ± 0.12 to 8.53 ± 0.03 g/100g, red kidney bean had 0.43 ± 0.02 to 7.93 ± 0.02 g/100g. The sand box seed had the highest protein content (33.71± 0.02 %), followed by red kidney bean (29.21 ± 0.02%). Nitrogen free extract had the highest value in black eyed pea (63.29±0.01%). The sand box seed had the highest crude fat (7.27 ± 0.02%). All the three crop samples had low safe moisture levels for storage. The study revealed the variation in the nutrients composition of the crop samples. However, sand box seeds had the highest protein content, coupled with high levels of amino acids detected, but the seed is yet to be consumed by humans. Hence, the need for further research on Hura crepitans with the view of reducing the deleterious effects of its antinutrients.