Solomon Abey, Nosarieme Omoregie Abey Effects of Gamma Irradiation and cooking on the Physico-Chemical Properties of African Locust Bean (Parkia biglobosa) Seeds, Food and Public Health 2016, 6(1): 8-14. DOI: 10.5923/j.fph.20160601.02
Abstract
African locust bean (Pakiabiglobosa) is a rich source of plant protein and vitamin substitutes. Combination of Irradiation and cooking has been found to effect various changes in the physical, chemical and functional properties of foods. This study evaluates the effect of cooking, Gamma irradiation (cobalt-60) and Post-irradiation cooking on the physicochemical properties of African Locust Bean (Pakiabiglobosa) seed and its oil extract. Some of bean seed were treated with different doses of gamma rays (0, 5 and 10kGy) as irradiated samples, some were boiled as cooked samples while others were boiled and irradiated, unirradiated-uncooked seed serve as control samples. The proximate chemical analysis, Mineral analysis, the analysis of functional properties and the determination of anti-nutritional factors were carried out appropriately to evaluate the physicochemical effects of cooking and irradiation. The fat content significantly increased after cooking and post-irradiation by 0.4 and 0.35% respectively. There was a 3.84% increase in mineral content after cooking, 2.37% increase on post-irradiation (10kGy) but a loss in total mineral content of irradiated-cooked samples. 10kGy irradiated-uncooked samples increased the essential amino acid. The functional properties of the seeds were negatively affected by irradiation and cooking. The antinutrients were significantly reduced by cooking, irradiation and post-irradiation cooking by 60%, 40% and 60% respectively. From the result, the cooked and irradiated samples had an overall improved physicochemical properties compared to the control unlike the irradiated-cooked. This study therefore emphasizes the effect of the various method of preservation on the physicochemical properties of the locust beans establishing the fact that a combined method of preservation will set imbalance in the food properties (African locust bean).
Keywords: African locust bean, Irradiation, Cooking, Physico-Chemical properties, Amino acid, Functional properties