Effect of Germination on the Performance Characteristics of African Yam Bean ( Sphenostylis stenocarpa Hochst ex A Rich) Seed Meal on Albino Rats

Abstract

The performance characteristics or quality of protein from ungerminated and germinated African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) seeds on male Wistar albino rats was investigated. The proteins were found to have high true digestibility (TD) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The net protein retention (NPR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), protein retention efficiency (PRE), Net protein value (NPV), Nitrogen efficiency ratio (NER), feed efficiency ratio (FER) and relative NPR (RNPR) of the ungerminated seeds were significantly lower (p<0.05) than those of the germinated seeds, while their net protein utilization (NPU) were not significantly different. This implies a great potency of Sphenostylis stenocarpa seed protein as a source of high quality protein especially in the preparation of protein supplements and formulation of new diets: and the possibility of improvement by germination. @ JASEM African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) belongs to the family Papilionaceae. It is grown mainly in the Southern parts of Nigeria for its edible seeds. The Ibo people of South Eastern Nigeria call it "Okpodudu, Ijiriji, Azama". The seeds may be boiled and eaten with local seasoning, starchy, roots, tubers and fruit or converted to paste for the production of a type of "moi moi'. The seeds can also be roasted and eaten with palm kernel as snacks (Ezueh, 1984; Elegbede, 1998). It has medicinal value (Okeke et al., 2008). The quality of African yam bean seed protein has been studied in rats and chicks (Elegbede, 1998). However, the present study was designed to examine the effect of germination on the quality of African yam bean protein.