Comparative evaluation on nutrient, anti-nutrients and phytochemical content of melon (<i>Curcubita citrullus</i> L.), pie melon (<i>Cucurbita ficifolia</i>) and water melon (<i>Citrullus lanatus</i>) seed flours

Abstract

The study sought to evaluate the nutrient, anti-nutrients and phytochemical content of melon (curcubita citrullus l.), pie melon (curcubita ficilia) and water melon (citrullus lanatus) seed flours. The melon seeds were dehulled manually and sorted to remove extraneous materials and bad seeds. It was sundried, milled and stored in an air-tight polyethylene bag. Pie melon and watermelon fruits were washed, cut with knife, it was deseeded from pulp, cleaned and washed properly with tap water respectively. They were air-dried, dehulled, sundried, milled and stored in an air tight polyethylene bag. Proximate, mineral, anti-nutrient and phytochemical composition of flour samples were carried out in triplicates using standard methods. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Turkey’s test were used to separate and compare the means. Results shows that pie melon was significantly (p<0.05) higher in protein (40.24%), ash (5.00%), fat (23.43%), and fibre (4.89%). Watermelon (2.99%) was higher in moisture and carbohydrate (38.61%). Mineral composition of watermelon, pie melon and melon seed shows that calcium (40.00%), potassium (590.00%) and sodium (4.02%) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in watermelon while magnesium (42.50%), iron (252.10%) and copper (106.25%) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in pie melon. Watermelon was significantly higher in hydrogen cyanide (1.42mg/100g) and oxalate (5.13mg/100g). Tannin was not significantly (p>0.05) different among the melon seed varieties though higher in watermelon. Flavonoid (3.00mg/100g) and phenol (0.86mg/100g) was significantly (p<0.05) in watermelon while pie melon had the lowest value. The different varieties of melon seeds studied shows that they are all rich in macro and micro nutrient but was significantly higher in pie melon. Pie melon production and consumption should be encouraged among different age groups.

Keywords: Pie melon, water melon, melon, nutritional composition