Variations in Nutrient Composition of Stored Cowpea IT96D-610K in Wooden and Steel Structures.
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Date
2018
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American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), 2950 Niles Road, St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659 USA.
Abstract
Grain quality and quantity reduction during storage is a global challenge that must be addressed in order to ensure food security. With grains comprising a high percentage amongst food crops consumed over the world, it remains a nutritious and healthy food source for all population types. Cowpea grains remain an inexpensive and rich source of protein needed for tissue development and crude fiber that aids digestibility in humans. Hence there is a need to store and retain these nutritional parameters during storage till consumption. This paper investigates diatomaceous earth (DE) effects on the nutrient composition (crude protein and crude fiber) of stored cowpea variety (IT96D-610K) in wooden and galvanized mild steel structures. Twenty-eight thousand grams of cowpea at a moisture content of 9.8% was admixed with 21g of ground crude diatomaceous earth having a particle size of 0.075mm. Six small scale prototype structures made of two different materials (wooden and galvanized mild steel (GMS)) were developed and used in the storage of the cowpea for a 16-week period under room temperature. Effects of storage time and storage structures on nutritional parameters such as crude protein and crude fiber were determined. Significant differences (p<0.05) was observed between the control sample and the treated samples. A general decrease in the crude protein content of 0.19% was observed throughout the period of sixteen weeks’ storage. A significant reduction of 0.07% was seen in crude protein content between the initial crude protein content and the control having (zero concentration) of DE. Crude protein decreased with increased storage period in both storage structures (wooden and galvanized mild steel (GMS)) with GMS being most effective in storage. The (control) DE having zero concentration, (0g/100g) showed a negligible increase of 0.01% in the crude fiber content throughout the period of storage. The crude fiber content of the stored cowpea in the storage structures showed an increase of 0.03% in its value. Both wooden and GMS storage structures had same effect on the crude fiber content at the end of storage.
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Keywords
Cowpeas, storage, structures, nutrition, composition, diatomaceous earth