ISSN: 2574-2701
Authors: Olabinjo OO*
Blighia sapida apple seed is among one of the wasted and under-utilized seeds in Nigeria. Which have been highly utilized as an ornamental tree with non-commercially purpose? The research was aimed to evaluate the effect of different drying temperatures on nutritional and bioactive constituent’s ackee apple seed. Freshly harvested ackee apple seed with a moisture content of approximately 45% (w.b.), the seeds were dried at different temperatures (40, 50, 60, 70°C and sun drying) until reaching moisture content of less than 11.00 ± 0.7% (w.b.), and they were subsequently analysis for proximate and bioactive constituents (flavonoid, phenolic and vitamin c) using standard method. Nutritional value of ackee seeds at drying temperatures exceeding 50°C results in reduction for the nutritive parameters and bioactive constituents. Dried ackee seed can have a longer shelf-life, produce diversity, and remarkable reduction in volume. In addition, due to its high-quality dried products that retain nutritional and the presence of bioactive compounds (flavonoids, phenolic and vitamin c) which could be a mean of generating another source of raw material for food, pharmaceutical industries and reduces wastage of these seeds during their season.
Keywords: Ackee Apple Seeds; Flavonoids; Phenolic; Vitamin C; Nutritional Parameters
