Nutritional Composition of the Seed of Icacina Senegalensis/oliviformis (False Yam)

Abstract

This paper seeks to determine the nutritional composition of the seed of Icacina senegalensis (false yam), a plant found in the Yunyoo community in the northern region of Ghana. The seed in both its unprocessed and processed forms were analyzed for their proximate and mineral compositions. This was done to determine the nutrient content and the effect of processing on the nutrient composition. The results showed a general decline in the mineral concentration from the unprocessed to the processed forms of the seed. However, for the proximate composition, there was an increment in the concentration of moisture, fibre and carbohydrate while the rest of the compositions (crude protein, fat, ash as well energy) decreased in the processed seeds. There was significant difference between the nutrient content of the unprocessed and processed seeds (P<0.05) and hence, it was concluded that the mode of processing had the effect of reducing the nutritional value of Icacina senegalensis seed.