By: Obazele A. O., Oregbeme H. I., Egielewa S. J., and Aliu M. M.
1Research Assistant, Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Auchi Polytechnic Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria.
2Lecturer, Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Auchi Polytechnic Auchi, Edo State, Nigeria.
Plantain (Musa paradisiaca) is a food commonly consumed in Nigeria as boiled, roasted, or fried in its ripe and unripe form. Plantains harvested in Ekpoma, a predominately plantain-growing community, were studied for their mineral and sugar composition level of the unripe. Complexometric titration was used to determine the level of calcium and magnesium, flame photometer was used for sodium and potassium determination while zinc, iron, copper, chromium, manganese, and Co were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results of the mineral analysis of the unripe plantain by flame photometer and atomic absorption spectrophotometer obtained of sodium, and potassium were 11.64 and 678.2 mg/kg, respectively. While the results obtained for copper, cobalt, chromium, calcium, manganese, and zinc were 174.28, 28.67, 1.10, 38.14, 6.82, and 93.54 mg/kg, respectively. The percent Brix sugar level was 14%. The concentrations of these selected minerals; copper, zinc, and cobalt in the sample revealed that they are above the established threshold limits set by World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization. The study showed that the concentrations of other minerals; chromium, iron, manganese, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and sugar falls within the specified limits of World Health Organization. From this study, it is shown that the sample content of sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sugar were relatively normal and within the permitted range by the World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization, which serve as a good source for man and animal health.
Citation:
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