Nutrient and Phytochemical Compositions of Aqueous Extracts of Black Pepper (Piper guineense) Seed, Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Rhizome

1Okoye Obiageli I., 1Ezegbe Amarachi G., 1Nwauzoije Ezinne J., 2Anoshirike Cyril O.

Authors

1Okoye Obiageli I., 1Ezegbe Amarachi G., 1Nwauzoije Ezinne J., 2Anoshirike Cyril O. 1Department of Home Science and Management, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 2Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Author

Abstract

The study examined nutrient and phytochemical compositions of aqueous extracts of commonly consumed local spices; (Piper guineense) seed, turmeric (Curcuma longa) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizome. Specifically, the study analysed proximate composition (moisture, protein, fat, ash, crude fibre and carbohydrate) of black pepper seed, turmeric and ginger rhizomes aqueous extracts and phytochemical content (saponin, flavonoid, alkaloid, phenol, terpenoid) of black pepper seed, turmeric and ginger rhizomes aqueous extracts. They were processed into flour using different standard methods. Four hundred grammes of each of the flour were soaked in 800ml distilled water for 24 hours and filtered. The filtrates were concentrated with oven dryer at 50°C until crude extracts were obtained. The extracts were reconstituted with distilled water using standard stock concentration (1gram of extract to 10ml of distilled water) prior to chemical analysis. Proximate and phytochemicals contents of the aqueous extracts were analysed using standard methods. Data obtained were analysed using means and standard deviations. Proximate analysis results showed that protein content of black pepper extract was highest (3.17%) while ginger extract had the lowest (1.26%) value. Ash content of turmeric extract recorded the highest (3.41%) while ginger extract had the lowest (1.40%). The concentration of crude fiber in black pepper extract was highest (2.96%) while turmeric extract had the lowest (2.56%) value. Among phytochemicals analysed, black pepper extract recorded the highest in alkaloid value (3.70mg/100g) while turmeric extract had the lowest value (2.00mg/100g). The concentration of flavonoid in turmeric extract was highest (4.53mg/100g) while black pepper had the lowest (2.80mg/100g).