Adeolu A.T and Enesi D.O
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.
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