Comparative Assessment of the Proximate and Mineral Composition of Cucumis sativusL. and Solanum aethiopicumL. Fruit Samples Grown in South Eastern and North Central Regions of Nigeria Respectively

摘要

Studies were carried out to comparatively assess the proximate and mineral composition of Solanum aethiopicum L. and Cucumis sativus L. fruit samples grown in the South Eastern and North Central regions of Nigeria respectively, following standard analytical procedures and instrumentation. The mineral elements (Na, K, Zn and Ca) were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer after wet digestion of the samples while the proximate parameters (ash content, moisture content, crude fibre content, crude protein content, crude fat content and carbohydrate content) were determined in accordance with standard analytical procedures. The mean range of the moisture, crude fibre, crude protein, crude fat, ash and carbohydrate contents in the S. aethiopicum L. fruit samples grown in the North Central and South Eastern regions of Nigeria were 72.49 - style="font-family:Verdana;"> 88 style="font-family:Verdana;">. style="font-family:Verdana;">23, 2.15 style="font-family:""> style="font-family:Verdana;">- 3.67, 1.31 style="font-family:""> style="font-family:""> style="font-family:Verdana;">- 1.85, 0.43 - 0.76, 0.51 - 0.84 and 3.18% - 5.72% respectively. Additionally, the moisture, crude fibre, crude protein, crude fat, ash and carbohydrate contents in the style="font-family:Verdana;">Cucumis sativus style="font-family:Verdana;">L. style="font-family:Verdana;">fruit style="font-family:Verdana;">samples grown in the South Eastern and North Central regions of Nigeria, had mean range of values of 93.60 - 98.76, 0.53 - 0.77, 2.14 - 2.84, 0.29 style="font-family:Verdana;">- style="font-family:Verdana;"> 0.46, 0.90 style="font-family:Verdana;">- style="font-family:Verdana;"> 1.14 and 3.88% style="font-family:Verdana;">- style="font-family:""> style="font-family:Verdana;"> 4.66% respectively. The range of mean values of Na, K, Zn and Ca in the style="font-family:Verdana;">S. aethiopicum style="font-family:Verdana;">L. style="font-family:Verdana;">fruit samples from the South Eastern and North Central regions of Nigeria were 0.36 - 0.57, 1.92 - 2.80, 0.84 - 1.01 and 0.43 - 0.61 μg/g respectively. Also, Na, K, Zn and Ca style="font-family:Verdana;">had mean range of values of 1.36 style="font-family:Verdana;">- style="font-family:Verdana;"> 4.08, 10.16 - 13.09, 0.45 - 0.66 and 5.85 - 9.3 style="font-family:""> style="font-family:""> style="font-family:Verdana;">μg/g respectively in the style="font-family:Verdana;">C. sativus style="font-family:Verdana;">L. fruit samples grown in the South Eastern and North Central regions in Nigeria. The levels of the determined proximate of parameters style="font-family:Verdana;">and mineral elements in the studied fruit samples from the investigated regions of Nigeria were statistically significant. This therefore indicates that the geographical locations where these fruit samples grew could have significantly impacted on their nutrient content levels. The levels of the determined proximate style="font-family:Verdana;">parameters from the selected regions of Nigeria show style="font-family:Verdana;">s style="font-family:""> style="font-family:Verdana;"> that consumption of the fruit samples ( style="font-family:Verdana;">S aethiopicum style="font-family:Verdana;">L. and style="font-family:Verdana;"> C. sativus style="font-family:Verdana;">L.) style="font-family:Verdana;">especially regularly, would help supply the essential nutrients and minerals required for a healthy living.