Nutritional Value, Characteristics of Oil, Protein and Bioactive Components of Argassi (Chrozophora brocchiana) Plant

Abstract

This research was conducted to study the physicochemical characteristics of the seed oil, and the functional properties of proteins, and to examine if any antimicrobial activity is associated with the different Chrozophora brocchiana plant parts. C. brocchiana, known in Sudan as Argassi, belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae, and is widely scattered in the poor savanna areas in western Sudan as a range crop. The oils, extracted from ungerminated and germinated seeds by solvent and cold press methods, were compared and their characteristics, fatty acids composition, tocopherols and oxidative stability were investigated. Proteins were extracted from defatted ungerminated and germinated seeds using an alkali resolution with isoelectric precipitation and freeze drying. The functional properties of the protein extract concentrates were used in the study The results demonstrated that C. brocchiana seed is a good source of oil (42.9%) and protein (18.2%). Proximate analysis demonstrated an increment in moisture, protein, fiber and ash after germination, while fat and carbohydrate substances were decreased. The fatty acids composition was influenced by germination, where linoleic and oleic acids increased, and palmitic acid was decreased. The concentrations of Na, K, Cu and Mg in germinated seeds were higher than ungerminated seeds. FTIR spectroscopy was used to screen the peak changes during the successive heating at 70°C for 72hrs. and germination was found to decrease the oxidative stability of the oil extracted from germinated C. brocchiana. Phenolic compounds from leaves, stem and oil were extracted using different solvents (methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane) and their antimicrobial activities were assayed using agar well- diffusion method. The methanol, followed by ethyl acetate and hexane, extracts showed considerable amount of inhibition against Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, IV and Pseudomonas euroginosa respectively, with much activity on Staphylococcus aureus. Ungerminated and germinated seed protein concentrate showed a significant difference in crude protein (p < 0.05) and moderate water and oil absorption capacities. The protein concentrate showed higher protein content for germinated seed (82.2±0.1) than (79.8±0.3) for ungerminated seed.