INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION IN NIGERIA by Ebele C. Okigbo, Nneka R. Nnorom, Ernest O. Onwukwe (fantasy novels to read TXT) 📕

this alligator pepper and its heavy metal index. The proximate content  evaluated include moisture content, Ash content, crude fat, crude protein and carbohydrate while the heavy metal are mercury, lead, Arsenic and Cadmium.

Statement of the Problem

The study will investigate the proximate content and the heavy metal index of alligator pepper. This is based on the facts that alligator pepper is consumed as snacks and drug by the populace.

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of the study is to investigate the proximate content of alligator pepper and to evaluate the heavy metal content of it. Specially the study did the following:

Investigated the proximate content of alligator pepper.

Evaluated the heavy metal content of alligator pepper.  

Research Questions

What are the proximate content of alligator pepper

What are the heavy metal contents of alligator pepper

Methods

Collection of Sample

10 pods of fresh alligator pepper were collected from local farmers near Ose market in Onitsha Anambra State Nigeria. The seeds of alligator pepper were separated from the pods and were weighed and sun dried for 5 days. The seeds were masticated using electric blender. The blended seeds were poured in a cleaned, dry container corked until ready to be used.

 

Drying of the Sample and preparation of its soluction

 2g of the sample was collected and heated in a furnace for 2 hours at 550oC. The sample was finally diluted with 20ml, 20% H2SO4 and filtered with filter paper.

Determination of the Moisture content

Exactly 2g = W of the sample and weighed petridish (WI) were put in oven and heated at 100oC for 1 hour. The reduction in weight was noted and is heated for another 1 hour until a constant weight was obtained and recorded (W2).

 

The percentage moisture content (%) = weight of Petri dish plus the sample before drying (W1) – weight of the sample plus the Petri dish after drying divided by the weight of the sample multiplied by 100.

 

 % moisture content =  W1-W2                                  x                100

                                                 W                                                                 1

Where W1 = Weight of petridish and sample before drying

                W2 = Weight of petridish and sample after drying

                W = Weight of the sample.

 

Determination of the Ash Content

Procedure: Empty platinum crucible was washed, dried and weighed. The weight wasrecorded; exactly 2g of wet sample was weighed into platinum crucible and placed in a muffle furnace at 500oC for 3 hours. The sample was cooled indesiccators after burning and weighed.

% Ash Content =                 W2-W1  x 100

                                                 W                 1

WI =Weight of empty platinum crucible

W2 = weight of platinum crucible and ash

W= Weight of the sample

 

Determination of the Crude fibre

2g of the sample was defatted with petroleum either (if the fat content is more than 10%). The defatted sample was boiled under reflux for 30 minutes with 200ml, 1.25g of H2SO4 per 100ml of the solutions.  The solution was filtered thoroughly on several layers of cheese cloth on a fluted funnel. The residue was washed with boiling water until the residue was no longer acid. The residue was transferred to a beaker and boiled for 30 minutes with 200ml of a solution containing 1.25g of carbonated free NaOH per 100ml. The final residue was filtered through a thin close pad of washed and ignited abestor in a good crucible. The residue was dried in a oven and weighed. The residue was incinerated, cooled and weighed.

 

% crude fibre =  W2 – W1  x                  100

                                                W                                                 1

W2 = Weight of residue before incineration

W1 = Weightof residue after incineration

W = Weight of the sample

 

 

 

 

Determination of the Crude fat

250ml clean boiling flasks was dried in oven at 105 -1100C for about 30 minutes. The boiling flask was transferred into desiccators and allowed to cool. The boiling flask was labelled, cooled and weighed. The boiling flask was filled with about 300ml of petroleum ether (boiling point 40 -600C). The extraction thimble was plugged tightly with cotton wool. The soxhlet apparatus was assembled and allowed to reflux for about 6 hours. The thimble was removed with care and petroleum ether was collected in the top container of the set-up and was drained into a container for re-use. The flask was removed and dried at 1050C- 110Oc For 1 hour when the flask was almost free of petroleum ether. The flask was transferred from the oven into desiccators and allowed to cool and weighed.

 

% Crude fat =  W2- W1                  x                 100

                                 W                                                 1

Where

W2 = weight of flask and ether extract

W1= weight of flask

W= weight of sample

 

Determination of crude protein

Exactly 0.5g of the sample was weighed into a 30ml. Kjedahl flask (gently to prevent the sample from touching the walls of the side of each) and then the flasks were stopped and shaked. Then 0.5g of the Kjedahl catalyst mixture was added. The mixture was heated cautiously in a digestion rack under fire until a clear solution appeared.

 

The clear solution was then allowed to stand for 30 minutes and allowed to cool. After cooling about 100ml of distilled water was added to avoid caking and then 50ml was transferred to the Kjedahl distillation apparatus.

 

A 100ml receiver flask containing 5ml of 2% boric acid and indicator mixture containing 5 drops of bromo cresol blue and 1 drop of methane blue was placed under a condenser of the distillation apparatus so that the tap was about 20cm inside the solution. The 5ml of 40 % sodium hydroxide was added to the digested sample in the digested sample in the apparatus and distillation commenced immediately until 50 drops gets into the receiver flask, after which it was titrated to pink colour using 0.01N hydrochloric acid.

 

% Nitrogen = titre value x 0.01 x 14 x 4

% crude protein = % Nitrogen x 6.25

Determination of Carbohydrate  Content

Carbohydrate content was determined by mathematical calculation. It was obtained by subtracting the sum of percentage of all nutrients already determined from 100

% Carbohydrate = 100 – ( % moisture+  % protein + % Ash + % fibre + % fat)

 

Determination of Heavy metal content

Heavy metal contents were analysis using Varian AA240 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer according to the method of APHA 2002 (American Public Health Association).

 

Results

The results of the proximate contents of alligator pepper is presented in Table 1.

 

Table 1: Proximate contents of alligator pepper                                               

Parameters                                                                                Composition (%)               

Moisture content                                                                 12.65

Crude fat                                                                                3.9

Ash content                                                                                2.6

Crude fibre                                                                                 12.74

Crude protein                                                                                 2.8

Carbohydrate                                                                                65.31

                                                                                                                                               

The results of heavy metals index in alligator pepper are presented in Table 2

 

Table 2: Heavy metal index in alligator pepper                                                               

Heavy Metal                Concentration (ppm)                                 Permissible Limit (WHO)               

Mercury                                0.151                                                                                0.50

Cadmium                                0.023                                                                                0.05

Lead                                                 0.169                                                                                0.30

Arsenic                                 0.606                                                                                1.40                               

 

Discussion of Results

The result of the proximate analysis showed that alligator pepper contains 12.65% moisture, 3.9% fat, 2.6% ash, 12.74% fibre, 2.8% protein and 65.31% carbohydrate. The highest value obtained from the analysis was carbohydrate followed by fibre and moisture, while Fat, ash and protein have the least value.

 

The moisture content obtained was mild (12.65%) due to the fact that alligator pepper is always subjected to drying before consumption. The moisture content reported by Odebunmi et al., (2008) was 14.53%. The crude protein (2.8%) obtained differs relatively from the work reported by Odebunmi et al., (2008). They reported 7.18% protein. The result obtained showed that alligator pepper is not a good source of protein.

 

The crude fat determines the free fatty lipid of a product (Aurand, 2007). The crude fat determined was 3.9% while Odebunmi et al., (2008) reported 2.55% crude fat. However, the low crude fat shows that alligator pepper is not a good source of fat.

 

The fibre content reported by Oluwaniyi et al., (2008) was 5.50% and it differs from the crude fibre obtained from the result (12.78%). The high fibre content makes alligator pepper good for treating digestive disorder and preventing constipation.

 

The ash content which is measure of total amount of minerals present within a food was 2.6% in this present work while Oluwaniyin et al., (2008) reported 2.49%. The ash content of the sample obtained is very close to that of reported by Oluwaniyi et al., (2008).

 

The carbohydrate obtained from the sample was 65.31% while Odebunmi et al., (2008) reported carbohydrate content to be 67.75. The high value of carbohydrate in the sample indicates that alligator pepper is very good source of energy.

 

The result of some heavy metals present in the sample showed that alligator pepper contains 0.151mercury, 0.023cadmium, 0.169 lead and 0.606arsenic.

 

The value of lead (0.169) agrees with the value reported by Gaya and Ikechukwu, (2016). They reported the value of lead in alligator pepper to be 0.17.

 

The value of cadmium obtained from the sample was 0.023 and it was closely related to the result reported by Gaya &Ikechukwu , (2016). Their result showed 0.044cadmium in alligator pepper.

 

Conclusion

It is concluded therefore that alligator pepper has a very high carbohydrate content followed by fibre and moisture. Fat, protein and ash have the least content. The result also showed that alligator pepper is a very good source of carbohydrate.

 

However, some metals like mercury, cadmium, lead and arsenic were lower in concentration when compared to the permissible limit by WHO. This makes alligator pepper safe for consumption.

 

Recommendation

It is recommended that the proximate content of alligator pepper should be made known to the public hence promoting its consumption and cultivation thereby preventing the plant from going on extinction.

Alligator pepper should also be used in place of other spice like African pepper or black pepper in cooking because of its high carbohydrate and fibre content. Its fibre content makes it good for treating constipation.

Alligator pepper should not be recommended to diabetic patients because of the high value of carbohydrate (sugar) it contains.

 

Based on the metal content of this plant, it is recommended that consumers of alligator pepper should consume alligator pepper seed without the fear of its side effect, because its heavy metal (Hg, Cd, Pb, As) content is very low thereby making it safe for consumption.

 

Based on the findings on this research, further study should be done on the phytochemical and antimicrobial screening of alligator in other to know its phytonutrients and antimicrobial properties.

 

 

 

 

References

Alligator Pepper. Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kolanut

America Public Health Association (2002). 3112B Cold, Vapour Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Method, Standard Methods For The Examination Of Water And Wastewater.  20th Edition.  37.

AOAC (Association of Analytical Chemistry) (2010). Method of Proximate  Analysis, 2217-2280.

Aurand, W.L.(2007). Food consumption and analysis of food. 4th edition. Van NostrandReinhold; New York, pp 41.

Chiejina , N.V. &Ukeh J.A. (2012). Antimicrobial Properties and Phytochemical analysis of Methanoic Extracts of AlframomumMelegueta and ZingiberOfficinale on Fungal Diseases of Tomato Fruit. Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 2(6); 10-14.

Doherty, V.F., Olanivan O.O and Kanife U.C. (2010). Antimicrobial Activities of Aframomum Melegueta (Alligator Pepper). International Journal of Biology, 2 (2); 126-129.

Edeoga, H.O., Okwu D.E., and Mbaebele B.C (2005). Phytochemical Constituents of Some Nigerian Medicinal Plants. Africa Journal of Biotechnology, 4;685-687.

Famuyide , .O., Adebayo , O., Bolayi- Olutunyi, K.A and Oladeji, O. (2011). Marketing Efficiency Garcinia Cola (Bitter Cola) and Aframomum Melegueta (Alligator Pepper) in Ibadan Metropolis, Oyo state. Continental Journal of Agricultural Economics, 5(1); 23-28.

FAO/WHO (2012). List of maximum levels recommended by contaminants by the joint FAO/WHO Codex  Alimentarius commission. 2nd Edition. Rome, Italy; 1-8.

Gaya U.I. &Ikechukwu S.A, (2016). Heavy  metal contamination of selected spices obtained in Nigeria, Department of pure and industrial chemistry. Bayero University Kano, Kano State, Nigeria, 44-45.

Igwe, S.A, Emeruwa, I.C, and Modie, J.A. (1999). Ocular Toxicity of Aframomum Melegueta (Alligator Pepper) on healthy Igbos of Nigeria. Journal of Ethnopharmacol, 65(3); 203-205.

Inegbenebor , U, Ebomoyi, M.I, Onyia, K.A. Amadi, K and Aigbiremolen, A.E. (2009)b. Effect of Alligator Pepper (Zingiberaceae: AframomumMelegueta) on gestational weight gain. Nigerian Journal of Physiological Science,