Analysis of Total Protein And Oil In Citrullus Lanatus (Egusi Bara) And Big Goard Like Type (Egusi Igba), Melon Protein Concentration.
ABSTRACT
Freshly harvested melon seeds i.e. (i)Citrullus lanatus (ii) Moniordica charantia (iii)Big goard like type was plucked and processed for its seed protein concentrates with a view to evaluate its proximate analysis using standard analytical techniques.
The chemical nutrient composition of the protein concentrates revealed, the moisture content (54.5), Total ash (2.9) crude oil of kernels (53.5) crude oil of seeds (22.1), total protein of kernel (38.2)total protein of seeds (21.8).
The amino acid profile reveals favourable nutritional balance with the presence of essential and non essential amino acid except that Tryptophan, Selenocystine, Norleveine and ammonia are not detected.
INTRODUCTION
The melon, whose scientific name is cucumis melo, is a climbing plant of the family cucub, taceqe. The word melon indicates both the fruit and the plant that is largely cultivated as its fruits are edible, sweet and flavoured.
Melons can be eaten raw, both as an appetizer and as a dessert and cooked, in jams of fruits: this type of fruit and vegetable product is considered ripe and of a good quality if it is flavoured.
The melon is a summer fruit that can be ovoid or roundish according to the varieties cultivated: it is rich in water, sugars and fiber that have nutritional and refreshing properties.
This fresh fruit brings energy without being heavy: for this reason and for its beautiful radiant colour, the melon is one of the fruits that are symbol of summer.
Furthermore, the melon is particularly suitable in slimming diets, as it is low in calories. Melons are also slightly laxative, because of the fibres contained and are therefore useful to fight the sedentary life and to help the more lazy intestines; moreover, the melon is slightly diuretic and is suitable for people who suffer from anaemia, thanks to its great content of iron.
Apart from the features already mentioned, the melon is also an excellent tonic for the circulation: in fact, with only half a melon high blood pressure can be controlled.
This is due to the high percentage of mineral salts such as iron, phosphorus, sodium and calcium, but mainly potassium that permit to control more than other mineral salts blood pressure as well as to recreate the water supply lost with sweating.
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