Determination of Proximate, Amino acids and Fatty acids Compositions of Syzygium aromaticum (Clove flower buds) in Ogbomoso Southwestern Nigeria
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Syzygium aromaticum flower buds are one of the most important spices that are used as pepper soup ingredients in southwestern Nigeria. Many traditionalists have claimed that the flower buds relieved symptoms of diarrhea, gastric irritability and vomiting when added to diet or taken as tea. However, the nutritional properties are yet to be evaluated indepthly to confirm their claims. The reasons for this study. The Proximate compositions were determined using standard methods of analysis and amino acid composition was determined by spectrophotometrically while fatty acid content was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method.
The results of the proximate compositions revealed that the buds contained the following amount of nutrients: moisture 16.21 ± 0.01, ash 2.21 ± 0.01, crude fat 1.41 ± 0.05, crude protein 18.38 ± 0.02, carbohydrate 49.55 ± 0.05% and total energy value 284.31kcal/g. The amino acids composition results revealed that the buds contained essential amino acids in the following order: Leucine > phenylalanine > tryptophan > isoleucine > valine > lysine > threonine > methionine and non essential amino acids (arginine >glutamic acid >aspartic acid>alanine>glycine>serine>cystine>tyrosine). The fatty acids compositions revealed the presence of both the saturated and unsaturated fatty acids but the most prominent were unsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid, 20.44% and linoleic acid, 15.33%) while others were present in minute quantity.
This study revealed that the Syzygium aromaticum flower buds could be a source of energy, nutrients, unsaturated fatty acids and amino acids which could be harmonized into the healthcare system to produce drugs, liniment, food supplements and animal feeds.
Description
Keywords
Prophylactic, Therapeutic, Spice, Proximate, Fatty acids, Amino acids