International Research Journal of Plant Science (ISSN: 2141-5447) Vol. 4(7) pp. 192-197, July, 2013
Available online http://www.interesjournals.org/IRJPS
Copyright © 2013 International Research Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Assessment of proximate, mineral, vitamin and
phytochemical compositions of plantain (Musa
paradisiaca) bract – an agricultural waste
*Adeolu A.T and Enesi D.O
Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State,
Nigeria
*Corresponding Author Email: deetee4all@yahoo.com
Abstract
Plantain is a staple food grown in the tropical regions of the world. The plantain bract which is
considered to be of little or no significance is often discarded as waste after the fruit is being harvested,
thereby constituting a menace to the environment. This study was designed to determine the
proximate, mineral, vitamin and phytochemical constituents of plantain (Musa paradisiaca) bract flour
as possible sources of nutrients in formulating animal feeds. The determinations were done using
standard methods of analyses of Association Official Analytical Chemists and Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometric methods. The result of the proximate composition showed the following; moisture
(9.53%), ash (7.83%), crude protein (11.47%), crude fat (1.83%), crude fibre (8.47%) and carbohydrate
(60.87%). The mineral contents; Ca (135 mg/100g), Mg (18 mg/100g), P (151.67 mg/100g), K (40 mg/100g),
Fe (14 mg/100g), Na (280 mg/100g). It also contained vitamin A (0.97 mg/100g), vitamin B2 – Riboflavin
(0.5 mg/100g), vitamin B1 – Thiamine (0.2 mg/100g), vitamin B3 – Niacin (1.13 mg/100g) and vitamin
C – Ascorbic acid (8.17 mg/100g). The phytochemical composition results revealed the presence of
bioactive compounds such as alkaloids (24 mg/100g), tannins (115 mg/100g), flavonoids (145 mg/100g),
phenols (4.5 mg/100g), saponins (563.33 mg/100g), phytates (46.67 mg/100g) and oxalates (30 mg/100g).
The plantain wastes can be sources of nutrients in animal feed preparation, as they are high in protein,
fibre, essential mineral content and phytochemicals. This will result in proper plantain wastes utilization
and help in solid waste management (waste reduction), thereby sustaining the environment.
Keywords: Proximate composition, Mineral composition, Phytochemicals, Plantain bract, Solid waste
management.
INTRODUCTION
The demand for plantain fruit within the country is high,
with supply struggling to meet demand. This has
hampered the status of this crop as a foreign exchange
earner. It remains an important staple food, source of
revenue, as well as the raw material for industries
producing value added products in many parts of Nigeria.
Plantain occupies a strategic role in rapid food
production, being a perennial ratoon crop with a short
gestation period (Ayoola, 2011).
It is a major source of carbohydrate for more than 50
million people. In Nigeria, all stages of the fruit (from
immature to overripe) are used as a source of food in one
form or the other. The immature fruits are peeled, sliced,
dried and made into powder and consumed as ‘plantain
fufu’. The mature fruits (ripe or unripe) are consumed
boiled, steamed, baked, pounded, roasted, or sliced and
fried into chips. Overripe plantains are processed into
beer or spiced with chili pepper, fried with palm oil and
served as snacks (‘dodo-ikire’). Industrially, plantain fruits
serve as composite in the making of baby food (‘Babena’
and ‘Soyamusa’), bread, biscuit and others (Ogazi,
1996). Plantain bract has medicinal applications in
bronchitis, dysentery and on ulcers; cooked plantain
bracts are given to diabetics (Morton, 1987) and culinary
uses (edible) in many Asian countries; from India to the
Philippines (Peter, 2011).
Considering the upsurge in the prizes of livestock feeds and their increasing demand, solid waste
Adeolu and Enesi 193
management, and as at the time of carrying out this
study, information on the M. paradisiaca bract appears to
be scanty. This study was conducted to provide
information on the proximate, mineral, vitamin and
phytochemical compositions of M. paradisiaca bract
which is often ignored and considered as waste for
possible utilisation as livestock feeds and in drug
formulation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sample collection
Plantain bract was collected from plantain plantation
Moniya, Ibadan in Oyo State, Nigeria. The bract was
sorted, washed with distilled water to remove dirt and
other contaminants, and sun dried to reduce moisture
°
content and then oven dried at 105 C to constant weight.
The samples were ground, passed through a 0.1mm
mesh size and, stored in polythene container for further
analysis.
Chemical and reagents
All the chemicals and reagents used in this study were of
analytical grade and were products of British drug House
Laboratory, England.
spectrophotometrically by using Buck 200 atomic
absorption spectrophotometer (Buck Scientific, Norwalk)
(Essien et al., 1992) and their absorption compared with
absorption of standards of these minerals.
Vitamins and Phytochemicals analysis
Laboratory analysis was carried out to determine the
vitamins (A, B and C) and phytochemicals (alkaloids,
flavonoids, phenols, saponins, phytates, tannins and
oxalates) content of the bract. Vitamins A, B and C
content of the vegetable were determined using AOAC
(1995) method. Tannins, oxalates and phytates were
determined using the method described by Sofowora
(1982), Trease and Evans (1989). Alkaloids, flavonoids,
saponins and phenols were determined using AOAC
(1995) method.
Statistical analysis
All determinations were carried out in triplicates. The
results generated from the analysis were subjected to
statistical analysis using the Statistical Package for Social
Science (SPSS) Version 16. Descriptive statistics was
used to interpret the results obtained.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Proximate Composition
The proximate composition of the sample was
determined using the standard methods of analysis of
Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC, 1995).
Moisture content of the samples was determined by air
°
oven (Gallenkamp) method at 105 C. The crude protein
of the sample was determined using micro-Kjeldahl
method. Crude lipid was determined by Soxhlet
extraction method using petroleum ether as extracting
solvent. The ash content was determined using a muffle
°
furnace set at 550 C for 4hours until constant weight of
ash is obtained. Crude fibre was determined using the
method of Saura-Calixto et al., (1983). The carbohydrate
content was obtained by difference.
Mineral analysis
Potassium and sodium were determined by digesting
the ash of the samples with perchloric acid and
nitric acid, and then taking the readings on Jenway
digital flame photometer/spectronic 20 (Bonire et al.,
1990). Phosphorus was determined by vanadomolybdate colorimetric method (Ologhobo and Fetuga,
1983). Calcium, magnesium and iron were determined
Analysis of proximate composition provides information
on the basic chemical composition of the agricultural
waste. The compositions are moisture, ash, crude fat,
protein, crude fibre, and carbohydrate. These
components are crucial to the assessment of the nutritive
quality of the food being analysed. Table 1 showed the
proximate compositions of the bract. The moisture level
of the samples was very high, content of being
significantly higher than the value reported in the
literature (5.43%, USDA, 2009). The moisture content of
foods or its processed products gives an indication of its
freshness and shelf life, and high moisture content
subjects food items to increased microbial spoilage,
deterioration and short shelf life (Tressler et al., 1980;
Adepoju and Onasanya, 2008). The moisture content of a
fresh fruit is related to its dry matter content (Warner, 2002).
Crude fat determines the free fatty lipids of a product.
This property can be used as the basis in determining
processing temperatures as well as auto-oxidation which
can lead to rancidity (affect flavour of food). The fat
content of samples of the plantain bract was very low
(1.83%) which will enhance the storage life of the flour
due to the reduction in chance of developing rancid
flavour and may not be good source of fat-soluble
vitamins nor can contribute significantly to energy content
of the feeds that can be prepared with the waste.
194 Int. Res. J. Plant Sci.
Table 1. Proximate composition of Musa
paradisiaca bract
Constituents
Moisture Content
Protein
Crude Ash
Crude Fibre
Crude Fat
Carbohydrate
% composition
9.53 ± 0.12
11.47 ± 0.15
7.83 ± 0.58
8.47 ± 0.12
1.83 ± 0.12
60.87 ± 0.47
All data were mean ± standard deviation of
triplicate determinations
Table 2. Mineral composition of Musa paradisiaca
bract on dry weight basis
Mineral
Iron (Fe)
Calcium (Ca)
Phosphorus (P)
Lead (P)
Cadmium (Cd)
Magnesium (Mg)
Sodium (Na)
Potassium (K)
Chromium (Cr)
Arsenic (As)
Amount (mg/100g)
14.00 ± 0.00
135.00 ± 0.00
151.67 ± 2.89
ND
ND
18.00 ± 0.00
280.00 ± 0.00
40.00 ± 0.00
ND
ND
All data were mean ± standard deviation of
triplicate determinations
ND- Not Detected
The ash content can provide an estimate of the quality of
the product. The high values of the ash (7.83%) were
indicative of high mineral (especially the macro-minerals)
content of the bract The ash content of the samples was
comparatively higher than those reported by Adebowale
and Bayer (2002) for agricultural hulls. Crude fibre
measures the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin content
of food. Lignin comprises polymers of phenolic acids and
hemicellulose is made up of hetero-polymers of
polysaccharides (Zakpaa et al., 2010). The plantain bract
was high (8.47%) in crude fibre, comparably higher than
the value obtained for plant products such as African star
apple (Chrysophyllum albidum) fruit pulp, (4.3g/100g,
Adepoju and Ketiku, 2003). High fibre content in diets
have been reported to result in increased removal of
carcinogens, potential mutagens, steroids, bile acids and
xenobiotics by binding or absorbing to dietary fibre
components and be rapidly excreted, hence these wastes
will have health promoting benefits for the ruminants and
non-ruminants (Ayoola and Adeyeye, 2009).
The sample was high (60.87%) in carbohydrate
content and can be good sources of energy for the
animals. The protein content was 11.47%, protein is an
essential component of diet needed for survival of
animals and human being, their basic function in nutrition
is to supply adequate amount of required amino acids.
Protein deficiency causes growth retardation, muscle
wasting, oedema, abnormal swelling of the belly and
collection of fluids in the body (Mounts, 2000).
The mineral contents of the sample were high (Table
2). The sample was high in sodium, calcium, phosphorus
and potassium, but low in iron, and magnesium. The
waste was good sources of calcium, phosphorus and
iron. The sodium and phosphorus levels were higher in
the flour produced from the plantain bract, and this could
be attributed to differences in soil conditions (soil type
and mineral content) as well as different environmental
conditions (Wilson, 1987; Swennen, 1990). The high
potassium content in the plantain bract sample makes it
valuable not only as a raw material for indigenous soap
industries but also in the treatment of soils for acidity.
Calcium and phosphorus are very important in the
formation of strong bones and teeth, for growth, normal
nerve and muscle action, blood clotting, heart function
and cell metabolism (Roth and Townsend, 2003; Rolfe et
al., 2009). The iron level of the bract was higher than the
values recorded for dry guinea corn leaf extracts (1.2 mg
- 2.1 mg/100g, Adepoju, 2007) and fresh and roasted
Adeolu and Enesi 195
Table 3. Vitamin composition of Musa
paradisiaca bract
Vitamin
ß- Carotene
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Niacin
Ascorbic acid
Amount (mg/100g)
0.97 ± 0.01
0 .20 ± 0.00
0.50 ± 0.00
1.13 ± 0.06
8.17 ± 0.58
All data were mean ± standard deviation of
triplicate determinations
Table 4. Quantitative estimates of Phytochemical
of Musa paradisiaca bract
Constituents
Alkaloids
Flavonoids
Tannins
Phenols
Saponins
Phytates
Oxalates
Amount (mg/100g)
24.00 ± 1.73
145.00 ± 0.00
115.00 ± 0.00
4.50 ± 0.00
563.33 ± 2.89
46.67 ± 2.89
30.00 ± 0.00
All data were mean ± standard deviation of
triplicate determinations
Dacryodes edulis fruit (7.0 mg and 3.0 mg/100mg
respectively, Adepoju and Adeniji, 2008). The samples
can be good sources of non haeme iron if bioavailable,
as iron of plant origin is poorly absorbed in the body
(Roth and Townsend, 2003). Being rich in macrominerals, it could be formulated into instant flours for
convalescence and in the formulation of baby foods as
these categories of humans require high levels of
minerals for growth and repair.
Table 3 showed the presence of ß- Carotene (vitamin
A precursor in plants) which apart from helping in growth,
also promote resistance to disease, delays ageing,
presides over the health of the eyes, skin, nails and hair
(Claude and Paule, 1979). The sample contained vitamin
B (B1, B2, B3), which was required for normal growth,
proper functioning of heart and nervous system, eyes,
formation of co-enzymes for cellular respiration (Michael,
2008). The vitamin C level of the bract was comparably
lower than (33 mg/100 g, USDA, 2009) and Borecole
(Brassica oleracea), (23.43 mg/100g, Emebu and Anyika,
2011). Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) helped in the health of
lungs and bronchia, teeth and gums, bones and joints,
and purifies the blood. It prevents the free radical
damage that triggers the inflammatory cascade, and
associated with reduced severity of inflammatory
conditions, such as asthma, osteoarthritis and
rheumatoid arthritis (Cohen et al., 2000) and therefore,
be used in herbal medicine for the treatment of common
cold and other diseases like prostate cancer (Okwu,
2004).
Table 4 showed the phytochemical screening and
amount present in the quantity of the bract analysed. It is
suffice to say that these anti nutrients reduce the
bioavailability
of nutrients in the food and plants
(Akindahunsi and Salawu, 2005). The plantain bract was
high (24 mg/100g) in alkaloids, comparably lower than
the value obtained for water leaf (Talinum triangulare),
(4.8 mg/g, Tesleem et al., 1999), plantain root (Musa
paradisiaca), (1.34 mg/g, Ayoola, 2011). Alkaloids are the
most efficient therapeutically significant plant substance.
Pure isolated alkaloids and the synthetic derivatives are
used as basic medicinal agents because of their
analgesic, antispasmodic and bacterial properties (Stray,
1998). The plantain bract was high (115 mg/100g) in
tannin, comparably higher than the value obtained for
plantain root (Musa paradisiaca), (0.079 mg/g, Ayoola,
2011). The presence of tannins implied that the bract has
astringent properties, quickens the healing of wound and
inflamed mucous membrane (Farquar, 1996), antimicrobial properties and, protecting the kidneys from
inflammation. The plantain bract was high (145 mg/100g)
in flavonoids, comparably higher than the value obtained
for plantain root (Musa paradisiaca), (1.34 mg/g, Ayoola,
2011).The availability of flavonoids also inferred that the
bract have the biological functions such as protection
against allergies, inflammation, free radical, platelet
196 Int. Res. J. Plant Sci.
aggregation, microbes, ulcers, hepatoxins, viruses and
have strong anticancer activity and protect against the
different levels of carcinogenesis (Farquar, 1996; Okwu,
2004; Abigail et al., 2012). The presence of phenolic
compounds in the bract indicated that it might have antimicrobial agent, which is effective in the treatment of
typhoid fever and other bacterial infections (Ofokansi et
al., 2005), treatment of the placenta and navel of newborn baby (Okwu, 2001, 2003). The plantain bract was
high (563.33 mg/100g) in saponins, comparably higher
than the value obtained for water leaf (Talinum
triangulare), (2.2 mg/g, Tesleem et al., 1999). It has
beneficial effects on blood cholesterol levels, bone
health, cancer and the stimulation of the immune system.
The plantain bract contained (24 mg/100g) of oxalates,
comparably higher than the value obtained for water leaf
(Talinum triangulare), (2.8 mg/g, Tesleem et al., 1999).
Oxalates has biopesticide properties in bee-keeping. The
plantain bract contained (46.67 mg/100g) of phytates,
almost the same the value obtained for water leaf
(Talinum triangulare), (0.43 mg/g, Tesleem et al., 1999).
Phytates provide antioxidant effect, food additive and
preservative, though it is capable of forming insoluble
complexes with zinc, iron and calcium, thereby interfere
with their absorption by the body.
CONCLUSION
This study has shown the proximate, mineral, vitamin,
phytochemical compositions of Musa paradisiacal bract
as a rich source of minerals coupled with the presence of
phytochemicals and nutrients. The bract being rich in
minerals can be seen as a potential source of useful
items for food, for raw material for indigenous soap
industries, protein source for animal feed if bioavailable
and in the treatment of soils for acidity drugs. Plantain
bract appears to be potential good sources of nutrients
for production of animal feeds, and their utilisation for this
purpose should be encouraged, thereby enhancing solid
wastes management and reducing environmental
pollution.
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