NUTRIENT AND SELECTED PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS OF CASHEW NUT (ANACARDUM OCCIDENTALE) AND GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS HYPOGAEA) SEED PASTES

The proximate composition, calorific value, phytochemical composition and mineral concentrations of fried seeds (peeled and unpeeled) of Arachishypogaea and Anacardumoccidentale were investigated using standard methods. Moisture content was highest (5.89?0.042%) in Anacardumoccidentale unpeeled fried seeds (AOUFS) and lowest (4.81?0.014%) in Arachishypogaea peeled fried seeds (AHPFS) while ash ranged from 2.72?0.106% in Arachishypogaea peeled fried seeds to 4.89?0.035% in Anacardumoccidentale unpeeled fried seeds. Crude protein was highest (27.27?0.106%) in Anacardumoccidentale unpeeled fried seeds and lowest (25.73?0.042%) in Arachis hypogea peeled fried seeds. Anacardumoccidentale unpeeled fried seeds had the highest (6.44?0.056%) crude fibre, followed by Arachishypogaea unpeeled fried seeds (4.51?0.014%) but the values in the four samples analysed were significantly different (p<0.05). Crude fat was predominant in all the samples and the values were significantly (p<0.05) different. Anacardumoccidentale peeled fried seeds had the highest (20.26?0.028%) carbohydrate and Arachishypogaea unpeeled fried seeds the lowest value (10.61?0.056%) but the calorific values of all the four samples were significantly different (p<0.05) . All the processed seeds were found to be good sources of magnesium, potassium and calcium with appreciable levels of zinc and iron. Tannins and alkaloids were highest in Anacardumoccidentale unpeeled fried seeds and lowest in Arachishypogaea peeled fried seeds but the levels of flavonoids were significantly different (p<0.05) in all the samples. Results highlighted in this study revealed that all the processed samples of both Arachishypogaea and Anacardumoccidentale had good nutritional and phytochemical potential and suggest their possible use in meeting human nutritional requirements, animal feed and medicinal formulations.