Proximate composition and levels of some toxicants in four commonly consumed spices
Nwinuka, N.M.; Ibeh, G.O.; Ekeke, G.I.
Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management 9(1): 150-155
2005
DOI: 10.4314/jasem.v9i1.17274Document Number: 260049
The proximate composition and levels of some toxicants (antinutrients) in 4 commonly consumed spices (garlic, Allium sativum; ginger, Zingiber officinale; onion, Allium cepa var. cepa; and Ashanti pepper, Piper guineense) were investigated. Proximate analyses showed that the spices contained (on dry weight basis) moisture ranging from 3.41% in onion to 6.67% in ginger, crude fat ranging from 0.68% in garlic to 12.50% in Ashanti pepper, crude protein ranging from 8.56% in ginger to 17.35% in garlic, ash content ranging from 4.06% in garlic to 8.48% in onion, and total carbohydrate ranging from 67.59% in Ashanti pepper to 76.71% in onion. All samples were good sources of carbohydrates only. The phytochemical screening of the spices showed the presence of tannins, saponins, oxalates and cyanogenic glycosides. All 4 samples had very low concentrations of tannin (0.01 g/100 g). The saponin levels ranged from 3.99 g/100 g in ginger to 48.35 g/100 g in onion. The oxalate concentrations ranged from 0.03 g/100 g in onion to 0.23 g/100 g in ginger, while the cyanogenic glycoside levels ranged from 30.5 mg/100 g in ginger to 56.39 mg/100 g in onion.