Nutritional and anti-nutritional properties of certain underexploited legume seeds

Abstract

Wild underexploited edible legume seeds, Cassia obtusifolia, Entada scandens and two germplasms of Phaseolus lunatus, were investigated for their proximate composition, minerals, seed protein fractions, amino acid profiles, fatty acid composition and certain anti-nutritional substances. The seeds of P. lunatus (both germplasms) had a higher content of crude protein than cultivated lima beans. C. obtusifolia and E. scandens were rich in crude lipid and crude fibre. All four wild legume germplasm seed samples appeared to be good sources of minerals: iron, zinc and manganese. While the globulins constituted the major seed proteins in C. obtusifolia and E. scandens, albumins formed the major seed protein fraction in both germplasms of P. lunatus. Seed lipids in all the investigated samples contained a large proportion of unsaturated fatty acids with linoleic acid as the predominant fatty acid. With the exception of E. scandens, the seed materials contained low levels of free phenols, tannins and L-DOPA. Haemagglutinating activity was also assayed.