Compositional Studies and Physicochemical Characteristics of Cashew Nut (Anarcadium occidentale) Flour

Abstract

Proximate, mineral and amino acids composition of cashew nut ( Anarcaduim occidentale ) flour were determined using standard analytical techniques. The physicochemical characteristics of the oil were also investigated. The mean values of various parameters for proximate composition (%) were: moisture (5.7±0.2), ash (4.4±0.1), ether extract (36.7±0.1), crude protein (25.3±0.2), crude fibre (1.2±0.3) and carbohydrate (by difference) (26.80).The calculated fatty acids were noted to be 29.4% and energy was 2242.8KJ / 100g. Minerals (mg / 100g) included: Na (22.8±0.2), K (38.2±0.1), Ca (21.9±0.3), Mg (36.4±0.2), Mn (1.6±0.2), Cu (0.4±0.1), Zn (0.8±0.1), Fe (0.8±0.1) and P (18.6±0.2) while Pb, Cd and Hg were not detected. The relationship between Na and K as well as between Ca and P; are desirable with the respective ratios of Na/K (0.6) and Ca/P(1.2). Amino acid analysis revealed that cashew nut flour contained nutritionally useful quantities of most of the essential amino acids. The first and second limiting amino acids are Lys (0.58) and Met + Cys (TSAA) (0.66). The results of physicochemical properties of cashew nut oil with the mean values of the following parameters:- colour (yellow), refractive index (1.465), specific gravity (0.964), acid value (0.82 ± 0.4 mg KOH/g, saponification value (168.3 ± 0.3mg KOH/g), iodine value (44.4 ± 0.1mg Iodine/g), peroxide value (3.1±0.2) and free fatly acids (28.4±0.1 mg/g) indicated that cashew nut oil is edible, non-drying and may not be suitable for soap making.