THE IMPACT OF PROCESSING ON THE NUTRITIONAL, MINERAL AND VITAMIN COMPOSITION OF CASHEW NUT

Proximate composition, vitamin composition and mineral composition of both the raw and the processed forms of Cashew nut (Anarcadiun occidentale) was investigated using standard analytical methods. The proximate composition in percentage were as follows;10.87 ±0.035 for moisture content,89.14±0.035 for dry matter, 4.27±0.050 for ash, 2.88 ±0.057 for crude fibre,39.36±0.106 for ether, 28.20±0.057 for crude protein and 14.44±0.021 for carbohydrate all in the raw form. In the processed form we had; 8.75±0.014, 91.25±0.014, 4.22±0.021, 2.92±0.035, 42.80 ± 0.021, 28.60± 0.1489, 28.60± 0.1489 for moisture, dry matter, ash, crude fibre, ether extract, crude protein and carbohydrate respectively. The mineral composition (mg/100g) of raw cashew nut showed for calcium 21.85±0.014, magnesium 36.58 ±0.177,sodium 15.87±0.042 potassium 38.62±0.262, phosphorus 13.87 ±0.050 and iron 1.30±0.007.For the processed cashew nuts we had; 21.20±0.0009, 35.84±0.007, 14.88±0.057, 37.18±0.028, 12.21±0.042 and 1.14±0.014 for calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus and iron respectively. The vitamin composition for the raw cashew nut revealed the following results; vitamin B1 0.01±0.000, vitamin B2 0.08±0.0009, Vitamin B3 0.11±0.014, vitamin C 5.28±0.028, vitamin E 8.83±0.100 and vitamin A 3.76±0.028 and for the processed nuts: 0.09±0.014, 0.05±0.014, 0.09±0.000, 3.57±0.042, 5.25±0.050 and 2.84±0.014 respectively. The investigations showed that cashew nut is very nutritious and could be anti-carcinogenic. They are also good sources of energy. They could also be used to alleviate impairments caused by lack of trace elements.