CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION                                                                                               1

1.1       Background to the Study                                                                                           1

1.2       Statement of the Problem                                                                                           4

1.3       Aim of the Study                                                                                                        4

1.4       Objectives of the Study                                                                                              4

1.5       Justification of the Study                                                                                           5

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW                                                                                    6

2.1       Description of Parkia biglobosa                                                                                 6

2.2       Usefulness of the African Locust Bean Tree                                                              9

2.3       Reasons for Fermenting African Locust Bean Seeds                                                 11

2.4       Studies on Nutritional Properties of Parkia Biglobosa                                              12

2.5       Toxicological Properties of African Locust Bean (Parkia bigloboba)                       16

2.6       Pepper: Capsicum species                                                                                           23

2.7       Nutritional Studies of Capsicum species                                                                    26

2.8       Physicochemical Properties of Capsicum annuum and C. frutescens                         29

2.8.1    Chemical Constituents of Capsicum annuum                                                             30

2.8.2    Chemical Constituents of Capsicum frutescens                                                          32

2.9       Health Risks of Pepper                                                                                               33

CHAPTER THREE                                                                                                                36

3.0       Materials and Methods                                                                                               36

3.1       Study Area                                                                                                                  36

3.2       Plant Collection                                                                                                          36

3.3       Plant Identification                                                                                                     36

3.4       Sample Preparation                                                                                                     36

3.5       Processing of Parkia biglobosa                                                                                  36

3.6       Mineral Analysis                                                                                                         37

3.6.1    Metal analysis on AAS                                                                                               37

3.6.2    Potassium and Sodium analysis on Flame Photometer                                               37

3.6.3    Colorimetric Determination of Phosphate                                                                  38

3.7       Proximate Analysis                                                                                                     39

3.7.1    Crude protein determination                                                                                       39

3.7.2    Adapted Auto-Analyzer Method for Nitrogen                                                          40

3.7.3    Determination of Ash                                                                                                 41

3.7.4    Fibre Determination                                                                                                    41

3.7.5    Nitrogen Free Extract (NFE)                                                                                      42

3.7.6    Crude Fat or Ether Extract                                                                                         42

3.7.7    Dry Matter and Moisture Determination                                                                    43

CHAPTER FOUR: results                                                                                                     45

4.1       Proximate Analysis of the Recipes                                                                             55

4.2       Mineral Content of the Recipes                                                                                  52

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION                                                   64

5.1       Discussion off Finding                                                                                               64

5.2       Conclusion                                                                                                                  65

References                                                                                                                              66

Appendix                                                                                                                                74

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE          TITLES                                                                                 PAGES

4.1       Proximate Composition of Recipes                                                                47

4.2       Mineral Content (Mg/Kg) of the Recipes                                                       57

This study was carried out to evaluate the nutritional composition of fermented Parkia biglobosa, Capsicum annum and Capsicum frutescens.

The fermented seed of Parkia biglobosa was gotten from Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria Ibadan while Capsicum annum and Capsicum frutescen pepper were gotten from New Market Ijebu, Ogun State and identified in the Department of Soil Science, Forestry Research Institute of Nigerian, Ibadan, Nigeria. The Capsicum annum and Capsicum frutescens were washed with clean water, sliced and oven dried with fermented Parkia biglobosa at 45oC then each sample was powdered and packaged ready for analysis. Standard methods of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) were used for proximate analysis and mineral content determination. The samples were taken to the laboratory to detect the value of the proximate composition which includes crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, total ash, moisture content, dry matter nitrogen free extract and mineral contents; calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium, potassium and phosphorous.

From the results of the proximate analysis, there were significant differences in crude fiber values (P˂0.05). However, there were no significant difference between Capsicum annum and capsicum frutescens, fermented Parkia biglobosa combined with Capsicum frutescens, fermented Parkia biglobosa combined with Capsicum annum in crude protein values (P˃0.05) while there were significant differences in other spices (P˂0.05). Also, there were no significant difference between Capsicum annum and Capsicum frutescens in crude fat values, total ash values (P˃0.05) but there were significant difference in other spices (P˂0.05). In moisture content values, there were no significant difference between Capsicum annum and fermented Parkia biglobosa combined with Capsicum annum and Capsicum frutescens (P˃0.05) while there were significant difference in other spices (P˂0.05). In dry matter values, there were no significant difference between Capsicum annum and fermented Parkia biglobosa combined with Capsicum frutescens (P˃0.05) but there were significant difference in other spices (P˂0.05). In nitrogen free extract values, there were no significant differences between fermented Parkia biglobosa combined with Capsicum frutescens, fermented Parkia biglobosa combined with Capsicum annum and fermented Parkia biglobosa combined with Capsicum annum and Caspsicum frutescens (P˃0.05) while in other spices, there were significant difference (P˂0.05).  From the result of mineral content, there were significant difference in magnesium values, sodium values, potassium values and phosphorus values (P˂0.05). However, there were no significant difference between fermented Parkia biglobosa, Capsicum frutescens, fermented Parkia biglobosa combined with Capsicum frutescens, fermented Parkia biglobosa combined with Capsicum annum and fermeneted Parkia biglobosa combined with Capsicum annum and Capsicum frutescens in calcium values (P˃0.05) while there were significant difference in other spices (P˂0.05). In rion values, there were no significant difference between Capsicum annum, fermented Parkia biglobosa combined with Capsicum frutescens and fermented Parkia biglobosa combined with Capsicum annum (P˃0.05) but there were significant difference in other spices (P˂0.05).

It is evident from this study that all the recipe were balanced and rich source of macro-and micronutrients. The study showed that the proximate content and mineral content increases in the combined recipe, especially when Capsicum annum and Capsicum frutescens was combined with fermented Parkia biglobosa. Therefore, these recipes can be added together to improve diet.