Nutritional and Bio-Chemical Evaluation of Canavalia Ensiformis seeds in Ghana

Abstract

Conavalia ensiformis seed was analysed for moisture, 9.10%, fat 3.30% protein 30.91%, crude fibre 8.94%. ash 3.30% and amino acids. The seed was found to contain anti-nutritional factors. tannins 0.52%. phytate 0.08%, oxalates 0.43%, hydroen cynide 0.02% and saponins, 1.11%. Toxicological evaluation of the raw and autoclaved reed flours canted out on albino mate rots feel at Ira protein level for thirty (30) days showed several biochemical and histopathological abnormalities with the raw flour while such abnormalities were absent in the animals fed with the autoclaved seed flour diet. The transaminases (AST/ALT) lactate dehydrogenase and amylase in the liver, kidney and heart increased tremendously in rats fed with the raw. wed flour. The alkaline dehydrogenase in the liver of the rats on the autoclaved war the same as the control. The red and white blood cell populations of rats on raw seed flour decreased drastically. Nutritional evaluation of the flourIsy rat assay gave PER of 0.76 foe the autoclaved and 0.14 PER for the raw flour. The apparent protein digestibility was high 75.73 for the autoclaved flour and 39.14 for the law flour but tore net prime... with anon wok low 37.96 for autoclaved flour and 3904 for the raw flour.