EFFECT OF BOILING AND FERMENTATION DURATION ON THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF MUCUNA UTILIS BEAN

Mucuna utilis (velvet bean) is one of the lesser known and under-utilized legumes in Nigeria. Although it has a protein concentration of about 27 %, its hard to cook and anti-nutrient composition limits its human consumption. ―Ogiri‖ is a soup or sauce condiment produced traditionally in Nigeria by microbial fermentation of such oil seeds (also leguminous seeds) as Ricinus communis (Castor oil seed). In order to add value to mucuna and enhance its utilization, this study investigated the potential use mucuna for the development of food flavoring condiment (Ogiri Mucuna) using boiling and fermentation methods. The beans were cracked open, soaked in water in water in a 1:6 (w/v) ratio for 12 h, boiled for 20, 40, 60 min, (solid state) and fermented for 24, 48 and 72 h respectively. The fermented beans were milled into paste and oven dried at 50 OC. The proximate, amino acids, phytochemical and antioxidant properties were determined using standard methods. The percentage protein, ash, moisture, crude fiber, fat, carbohydrate contents ranged from 22.24 – 39.85, 1.85 – 5.16, 11.71 – 16.51, 1.58 – 6.88, 7.79– 11.51, 24.06 – 49.49 respectively. The amino Acid contents (g/100 g protein) were Lysine (4.48 –5.59), leucine (6.68 –7.10), Isoleucine (4.05– 4.80), valine (4.29 – 4.48), phenylalanine (3.55 – 4.09) methionine (1.24–1.41). Glutamic and aspartic acids had the highest concentrations of 14.24- 15.34 and 10.01–10.80 respectively. Flavonoids 1680 –2980 mg/100 g, L-dopa 1050 –3000 mg/100 g, terpenoids 24.98 – 42.90 mg/100 g while the FRAP were 35.24–62.19 mg/100 g. Ogiri condiment produced from the 60 min boiling 48 h fermentation was the best in terms of nutritional quality.