Abstract :
Infants and growing children require eight essential amino acids for healthy growth and well-being. The amino acids must be at optimum values to satisfy their metabolic requirements. Breadfruit (v. Decne) seed is a widely consumed legume in tropics and subtropical regions of the world. In Nigeria, it is staple and an important source of dietary nutrients for adult, infants, and children. The study aimed to identify the roasting conditions of temperature and time at 500 g seed quantity that would yield the optimum contents of eight essential amino acids in flour incorporated into the diets of infants and growing children for the alleviation of malnutrition among children. Experimental roasting used the factorial design. The essential amino acids content of breadfruit seed flour of different treatment conditions was determined using Technicon sequential multisample acid analysis. Results showed that both raw and processed flour contained amino acids essential for infants and growing children. Analysis of amino acids showed retention of the eight essential amino acids for infant and children. Roasting temperature and roasting time had significant (P < 0.05) reductive effect on evaluated amino acids. Summation of the evaluated amino acids showed average ranges of 22.56–25.61 g/16 gN, 17.14–23.86 g/16 gN, and 18.56–19.90 g/16 gN, respectively, for flour samples of seeds roasted at 140°C, 160°C, and 180°C at 35, 40, and 45 min. The low values of some essential amino acids evaluated indicated the detrimental effect of higher temperature processing on African breadfruit seeds. Processing African breadfruit seeds into at 140°C and 160°C for 35–45 min would flour of at least 76.92% of recommended dietary allowance human. Results identified 140°C-40 min-500 g as the best process variables combination for an adequate supply of essential amino acids in infant and children diets. Roasting severely depleted the content of tryptophan of the evaluated flour samples. The flour of breadfruit (v. Decne) seeds is a good source of amino acids supplement for infants and growing children which should be introduced to mothers in developing nations.
Keyword :
Breadfruits, essential amino acids, infant and children diets, roasting condition