Background/Objective: Processing improves the nutritional quality of food and may/not lead to nutrient losses. Processing is done to eliminate inactive microorganisms/ antinutrients and extend the shelf life of food. Moringa oleifera plant is an important tree in some part of Nigeria having been successfully used as food, medicinal and for industrial purpose. This study was designed to determine the effect of processing on the nutritional profile of Moringa olifrera leaves and seeds. Materials and Methods: The leaves and seeds were harvested from the forest. The leaves were washed, drained and divided into three portions. The first portion was processed raw, the sun and shade dried samples were the second and third portion. The seeds were cracked and divided into six portions. The first portion was processed raw and the other five portions were fermented for 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h respectively. The samples were analyzed for proximate, vitamin, mineral, and anti-nutrients contents using the standard method. Results: The proximate composition of the seeds showed that the samples had a range of moisture, 16.63-17.75%, protein 13.92-38.45%, fat 14.93-19.00%, fibre 3.94-7.10%, ash 1.96-6.22% and carbohydrate 9.08-36.61%/100 g respectively. The ranges for the mineral contents of the seeds were iron 2.10-33.35 mg, zinc 1.19-1.35 mg/100 g, and iodine 12.33-126.61 mg. Also, the ascorbic acid content of the seeds ranged from 3.57- 24.55 mg. The anti-nutrient contents of the seeds were 0.03 – 1.35/100 g saponin, 0.21 – 6.25 mg/100 g of oxalate, 0.11 – 0.28 mg tannins and 5.69 – 16.81 mg/100 g of phytate. The proximate composition of the vegetables ranged from 8.99 – 75.33% moisture, 6.01 – 17.78% protein, 0.64 – 3.89% fat, 3.14 – 11.96% fibre, 2.46 – 15.22% ash and 12.01 – 48.52% carbohydrate. The ranges for mineral contents of the vegetables were iron 0.04 – 0.23 mg, zinc 0.03 – 0.10 mg and iodine 13.66 – 46.61 mg. The vitamin levels of the vegetables were ascorbic acid 56.43 – 167.66 mg/100 g. The level of the anti-nutrients in the vegetables ranged from 0.04 – 1.26 mg/100 g saponin, 0.31 – 8.44 mg/100 g oxalate, 0.05 – 0.20 mg/100 g tannins while phytate varied from 3.31 – 13.20 mg/100 g. Conclusion: Processing of both leaves and seeds of Moringa olifera increased their nutrient density and reduced the concentration of anti-nutrients. The consumption of Moringa olifera should be popularized to diversify diet and extend their food use.

Background: Assessment of protein quality is aimed at determining the ability of a protein to meet up with the needs for maintenance, growth, pregnancy and lactation. Objective: To evaluate the protein quality of complementary food made from local food blends using albino rats. Methods: Maize, carrot, crayfish, milk and other ingredients were purchased, processed and used for the study. The maize, crayfish and carrot flours were blended in the ratio of 100:0:0, 70:25:5, 70:20:10, 70:15:15, 70:10:20 and 70:5:25 respectively. The six diets provided 10% protein for six groups of rats. The diets were fed to forty (40) weanling albino rats in a 21-day growth period and 7-days Nitrogen balance study. Milk was used as control and Nitrogen free diet was used for the estimation of endogenous nitrogen. The result generated were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: The result showed that over 70% of the nitrogen consumed by all the five groups of rats fed the mixed diets were absorbed and retained. Among the test diet groups, the 70:20:10 diet had the highest absorbed nitrogen (2.10 g), retained nitrogen (2.00 g), biological value (80%) and net protein utilization (77%) which was significantly different from the other groups. The 70:20:10 diet had the highest Total digestibility (94%), highest food intake (230g), weight gain (52.10%) and PER (2.7) that were comparable with the reference protein (milk) at (p>0.05). The mineral metabolism of all the rats fed the test diets were absorbed and retained. Conclusion: The study revealed that complementary food of high protein quality and nutrient dense can be produced from blends of maize, carrot and crayfish. All the complementary food made from blends of maize, carrot and crayfish blend were of higher nutrient quality than the popular homemade complementary food made of maize alone. It is imperative that blends of local foods stuffs should be used as complementary food instead of only cereal in order to improve the nutritional status of a growing child and also curb prevalence of protein energy malnutrition that is common among under five.

Background/Objective: Vegetables and fruits play a highly significant role in food security of the underprivileged in both urban and rural settings. The study was designed to determine the nutritional composition of some neglected underutilized fruits and vegetables in Southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Methodology: The commonly occuring underutilized fruits and vegetables were selected for the study. The food crops were harvested and identified at the Herbarium in the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, University of Nigeria Nsukka. Twenty underutilized fruits and vegetables each were cleaned and analysed for nutrients composition using standard methods. Data were presented using descriptive statistics, percentage, mean, standard deviation and frequency. Results: The proximate composition of the fruits ranged from 54.34-80.30% moisture, 0.27-6.21% protein, 0-3.08% fat, 0.28-8.58 % fibre, 0.33-11.05% ash and 9.08-36.61% carbohydrate. The ranges for mineral values of the fruits were iron 0.10-9.60 mg, zinc 0.02-10.30 mg, manganese 0.10-6.60 mg and calcium 5.42-46.50 mg.  The vitamin contents of the fruits ranged from beta-carotene traces -5666.67 RE, ascorbic acid 0-48.82 mg and vitamin E 0 -11.99 mg. The proximate composition of the vegetables ranged from moisture 60.45-91.00%, protein 0.02-6.60%, fat 0.02-2.19%, fibre 0.04-5.01%, ash 0.04-4.20% and carbohydrate 10.30-36.61%. The ranges for mineral values of the vegetables were iron 1.40-14.80 mg, zinc trace-9.40 mg, manganese 0.07-4.80 mg and calcium 18.19-400.00 mg. The vitamin levels of the vegetables were beta-carotene 15.20-1933.33 RE, ascorbic acid 2.40-38.40 mg and vitamin E traces - 6.67 mg. Conclusion: The use of these fruits and vegetables should be encouraged particularly in areas where they are not produced through nutrition education in order to promote the food use of these crops.

Background/Objective: Malting is a process that is not expensive and is technologically effective in improving the nutritional quality of food. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of malting on the nutritional characteristics of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan). Materials and Methods: The pigeon pea seeds were sorted and washed. The seeds were then steeped in water at 29°C for 24 hours. Changing of water at 6 hours interval was observed during steeping. The resultant steeped seeds were spread on jute bag and were covered with white cotton cloth to germinate for 72 hours. The sprouted seeds were oven dried at a temperature of 50°C for 1 hour and thereafter, the plumules were separated from the seed and the malted seeds were dried and milled into flour. Both the raw and malted samples were subjected to laboratory analysis for proximate, mineral element composition, anti-nutrients and functional properties. The results were determined in triplicate and subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS version 20. Results: The result of the proximate analysis showed that the samples were generally low in moisture which are 12.81±0.07 and 15.10±0.81%, protein content are 19.01±0.08 and 22.10±0.16%, Ash content are 2.27±0.23 and 3.18±0.47%, Fat content are 1.02±0.32 and 1.68±0.81%, fibre content are 0.45±0.52 and 1.23±0.63%, carbohydrate are 57.37±0.28 and 63.78±0.01% and energy were 300.32 and 326.20 Kcal/100 g for raw and malted sample respectively. The result of minerals are iron 0.13±0.12 and 1.03±0.08 mg/100 g, magnesium 50.30±0.01 and 68.24±0.45 mg/100 g, zinc 0.27±0.21 an 0.88±0.32 mg/100 g, phosphorus 13.10±0.57 and 18.30±0.32 mg/100 g, potassium 2.10±0.62 and 4.50±0.08 mg/100 g, sodium 6.10±0.31 and 9.33±0.07 mg/100 g and calcium 7.28±0.41 and 10.11±0.22 mg/100 g for raw and malted sample respectively. The anti-nutrients determined are phytate 19.86±0.03 and 7.22±0.78 mg/100 g, oxalate 1.78±0.03 and 0.02±0.42 mg/100 g, trypsin inhibitor 40.53±0.42 and 10.30 m±0.07 g/100 g, tannins 28.80±0.50 and 9.12±0.18 mg/100 g and hydrogen cyanide 1.63±0.68 and 0.68±0.04 mg/100 g, for the raw and malted pigeon pea respectively. The functional properties are Bulk density 0.62±0.81 and 0.98±0.01 g/cm3, water absorption capacity 227.05±0.24 and 261.220.38%, oil absorption capacity 162.72±0.11 and 170.54%±0.42, foaming capacity 18.80±0.28 and 37.73±0.21% and swelling capacity 4.08±0.13 and 6.24±0.31%. Conclusion: It was observed that highly nutritious flour can be produced from pigeon pea using malting.

Background/Objective: Protein malnutrition is detrimental at any point in life. Protein malnutrition prenatally has also been shown to have significant lifelong effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the protein uptake and utilization of Moringa olifera leaves and seeds fed to rats as a dietary supplement. Materials and Methods: The leaves and seeds were harvested from the forest. The leaves were washed, drained and divided into three portions. The first portion was processed raw, the sun and shade dried samples were the second and third portion. The seeds were cracked and divided into six portions. The other five portions were fermented for 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h respectively. The blends of the shade dried leaves (SHDL) and 69 h fermented seed (FMS) provided 10% protein for two groups of rats. The diets were fed to twenty (20) adult albino rats in a 12-day N and mineral balance study. Casein was used as control. The result generated were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: The result showed that over 70% of the nitrogen consumed by all the two groups of rats fed the test diets were absorbed and retained. Among the test diet group, the FMS diet had the highest absorbed nitrogen (0.94 g), retained nitrogen (0.55 g), biological value (76%) and net protein utilization (52%) which was significantly different from the other groups. The SHDL had the most digested nitrogen (94%), highest maintenance food intake (74.09%) and weight gain (34.28%) that were comparable with the reference protein casein at (p>0.05). The FMS group had the highest liver, small intestine and lung weight.  The mineral metabolism of all the rats fed the test diets were absorbed and retained. Conclusion: Generally, both the leaves and the seeds of Moringa olifera have good nutrient profile which could promote growth, they should be consumed to diversify diet and reduced micronutrient deficiency.