11783_doi_deposit
20220327080000
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nadiag@assaf.org.za
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South African Journal of Science
S. Afr. J. Sci
1996-7489
03292022
118
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Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus): Nutrient profiling using HPLC and UV-spectroscopic techniques
Kingsley O.
Omeje
Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8993-4229
Juliet N.
Ozioko
Biochemistry Unit, Department of Science Laboratory Technology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9548-1382
Benjamin O.
Ezema
Biochemistry Unit, Department of Science Laboratory Technology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Aston Institute of Materials Research, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2385-2674
Sabinus O.O.
Eze
Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4616-6263
Food insecurity and undernourishment constitute a major challenge in Africa and the world at large. To meet key nutritional targets and tackle the menace of undernourishment, we need to exploit available but underutilised food crops. A common underutilised food crop with the potential to improve daily nutrition is tiger nut. This potential is evidenced in the number of essential amino acids detected, which constitute 74.425% of the entire amino acids detected, in addition to important minerals and vitamins. The nutritional composition of the yellow variety of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) was determined using the standard methods of high-performance liquid chromatography and UV-spectroscopy. Ten amino acids were identified and quantified, including six essential amino acids, of which valine had the highest concentration (67.59 μg/100 g), followed by leucine (3.019 μg/100 g), phenylalanine (1.767 μg/100 g), lysine (0.946 μg/100 g), histidine (1.048 μg/100 g) and tryptophan (0.055 μg/100 g). The other amino acids were proline (24.124 μg/100 g), cysteine (1.269 μg/100 g), glycine (0.024 μg/100 g), and glutamine (0.022 μg/100 g). Monosaccharides detected were ribose (41.76%), glucose (21.52%), sedoheptulose (17.94%), fructose (4.566%), rhamnose (1.78%) and mannose (1.58%), whilst disaccharides detected were sucrose (87.66%) and maltose (11.39%). Mineral concentrations were K 144.80 ± 1.10 mg/100 g, Ca 94.39 ± 0.02 mg/100 g, Na 83.92 ± 0.04 mg/100 g, Fe 19.36 ± 0.54 mg/100 g, Mg 17.63±0.13 mg/100 g, Cu 13.28±0.05 mg/100 g and Zn 5.18±0.01 mg/100 g Vitamins A, B2, C and E were detected and quantified as 53.93±1.03, 7.61±1.20, 31.70±1.25 and 128.75±0.74 μg/100 g, respectively. The chemical and nutritional properties of the yellow variety of tiger nut suggest that it is rich in essential amino acids, minerals, and some vitamins. Hence, it should be recommended to persons with nutritional deficiencies as it is cheap and available all year round.
03292022
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10.17159/sajs.2016/crossmark
sajs.co.za
false
2021-07-20
2021-12-21
2022-03-29
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
10.17159/sajs.2022/11783
20220327080000
https://sajs.co.za/article/view/11783
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