Biochemical Characteristics of the African Nutmeg, <em>Monodora Myristica</em>

Abstract

Proximate, mineral, phytochemical and antinutrients composition of African nutmeg (Monodora myristica) flour were determined using standard analytical techniques. The physicochemical characteristics of the oil were also investigated. The mean values of various parameters for proximate composition (%) were: moisture (13.15±2.73), total ash (3.90±1.05), crude fat (27.77±2.57), crude protein (10.13±1.95), crude fibre (23.38±4.45) and carbohydrate (by difference) (21.2%). The calculated fatty acids were 23.28% and energy was 1591.8 KJ/100g. Minerals (mg/100g) included: Mg (86.96±4.01), Ca (416.01±1.42), K (869.64±4.03), P (112.03±4.63), Mn (1.05±0.35), Fe (21.71±0.52), Na (17.66±0.32), Cu (0.19±0.02), Al (4.98±0.68), and Zn (1.52±0.11), while Pb was not detected. The relationship between Na and K as well as Ca and P were desirable with respective ratios of Na/K (0.02) and Ca/P (3.71). The results of physicochemical properties of African nutmeg seed oil with the mean value of the following parameters-colour (yellow), refractive index (1.477), specific gravity (1.464 g/cm³), acid value (66.50±2.23 mgKOH/g), saponification value (414.53±10.29 mgKOH/g), iodine value (101.61±2.30 mgIodine/g), peroxide value (4.13±0.40), and free fatty acids (33.26±1.12 mg/g) indicated that African nutmeg oil is a drying oil, may not be suitable for cooking of foods and for soap making. The results of phytochemical screening which revealed the presence of glycosides, cyanogenic glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, steroids, oxalates, and phytates and the antinutrients composition which included tannins (0.64±0.08), oxalates (1.05±0.02), cyanogenic glycosides (0.32±0.08), saponins (1.58±0.60), and phytates (4.08±0.10) suggest that the African nutmeg is relatively safe for consumption.

Keywords: African nutmeg, Monodora myristica, antinutrient composition, oil