Effects of Processing on the Proximate Components and Amino Acid Profile of Bauhinia Monandra (Kurz) Seed

Three (3) methods of processing were adopted to investigate the effects of processing on the nutritional value of Bauhinia monandra (Kurz) seeds. These processing methods were boiling (in water), toasting and soaking. The raw Bauhinia monandra seed sample were boiled with tap water in seed to water ratio of 1:10 w/v at the rate of 5kg:10 litres in a 15litres metal cooking pot for 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes respectively and sundried to constant weight and milled before being taken to the laboratory for analysis. Toasting was done for 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes respectively using a hot open pan and heated with fire from a stove burning with blue flame. The seeds were stirred constantly to prevent charring. The seeds were cooled and milled. The last processing method involved the soaking of the raw Bauhinia seed in a bowl containing seed to water ratio of 1:10 (w/v) at the rate of 5kg to 10litres which completely submerged the seeds in tap water at room temperature (30+2oC) and for 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours respectively and sun-dried to constant weight. The seed samples were then milled. The proximate composition and amino acid contents of the milled representative samples of the raw seed and three processed seed sample (boiled, roasted and soaked) were determined in the laboratory according to AOAC (1980) procedure (moisture content, ash, lipids, crude fibre (CF) and nitrogen few extract (NFE) while the nitrogen/crude protein was determined by the method of Pearsons’ (1976). the total amino acid composition was determined by the method described by Spackman et al (1958). Results obtained indicated that processing methods had significant influence on the proximate composition of Bauhinia monandra (Kurz) seeds. Bauhinia seeds processed by soaking in tap water retained more of its nutrient than seeds processed by other means.