1Laboratory of Engineering and Biomolecules (LiBio), Nancy-University, Nancy, France
2Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Derivate Products, University of Maroua, Maroua, Cameroon
3Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon
4Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
5CIRAD, Montpellier, France
6Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Bamenda, Bamenda, Cameroon
American Journal of Food Science and Technology.
2016,
Vol. 4 No. 2, 29-37
DOI: 10.12691/ajfst-4-2-1
Copyright © 2016 Science and Education PublishingCite this paper: Armand Abdou Bouba, Roger Ponka, Goudoum Augustin, Nicolas Njintang Yanou, Mehanni Abul-Hamd El-Sayed, Didier Montet, Joël Scher, Carl Moses Mbofung. Amino Acid and Fatty Acid Profile of Twenty Wild Plants Used as Spices in Cameroon.
American Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2016; 4(2):29-37. doi: 10.12691/ajfst-4-2-1.
Correspondence to: Armand Abdou Bouba, Laboratory of Engineering and Biomolecules (LiBio), Nancy-University, Nancy, France. Email:
abdouarmand@yahoo.frAbstract
The amino acids and fatty acids of twenty wild plants used as spices which were collected in Cameroon were investigated. The most important of total non-essential amino acids (TNEAA) contents have been found in A. daniellii (52.04%), C. frutescens (50.53%), D. psilurus (56.22%), H. gabonii (fruit) (58.81%), P. brazzeana (59.11%), S. melongena (59.78 %) and X. aethiopica (56.78%), respectively. Concerning the levels of the essential amino acids (EAA), all had EAA contents of at least 30% except E. giganteus (17.85 %), S. melongena (27.05 %), and T. tetraptera (15.85 %). For WHO protein standard, Lysine was considered as the first limiting amino acid (LAA) for A. daniellii (1.54%), P. brazzeana (16.35%) and S. striatinux (40.19 %). In addition, Meth+Cys were the second LAA for D. psilurus, E. giganteus, S. melongena, S. zenkeri (fruit), T. tetraptera, X. aethiopica (non detected); H. gabonii (fruit) (29.2%), M. myristica (6%), M. whitei (8.8 %) and P. guineense (39.2%), respectively. Spices which contained a large amounts of the essential fatty acids (ω – 3) were found in C. frutescens (31.98%), F. leprieuri (40.07 %), H. gabonii (fruit) (34.84 %), M. whitei (54.77%), P. umbellatum (39.25%), S. melongena (34.23%), S. zenkeri (fruit) (35.68%), and T. tetraptera (33.64%), respectively. Furthermore, (ω – 6) were found in D. psilurus (49.29%), H gabonii (bark) (47.91%) and F. xanthoxyloides (43.79%). In addition, (C22: 6n3) were S. zenkeri (bark) (20.45%) and X. aethiopica (30.10 %). These results show that tropical edible plants could contribute significantly to the diets of indigenous population in sub-Saharan Africa and should provide their public health.
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