CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Plants
constitute an important source of active natural products, which differ widely in
terms of structure and biological properties. They have played a remarkable
role in the traditional medicine of various countries. In recent years, the
prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases has been associated with the
ingestion of spices, fresh fruits, vegetables, or teas rich in natural
antioxidants (Virgili et al., 2001). The protective effects of plant products
are due to the presence of several components, which have distinct mechanisms
of action; some are enzymes and proteins and others are low molecular weight
compounds such as flavonoids. (Birt et al 2001).
The
story of spices and other flavorings, materials is one of the most interesting
chapters in the history of vegetable products (Obadoni and Ochuko, 2002). The
cravings for spices have been on of the great factors in human progress and
have done much to change the course of history and geography and to promote
international relations (Akindahunsi and Salawu, 2005)
Spices
are used to season insipid foods and to add zest to an otherwise monotonous
diet. They stimulate the appetite and increase the flow of gastric juice. For
this reason, they are often referred to as food accessories or adjuncts. They
also play a role in many of the industries, and are used in perfumery, soaps,
incense, as dyes in histology and in various acts (Onyesom and Okoh, 2006).
Studies on spices have been mostly on their exciting flavours and aromas
medicinal values and as flavorings. These spices are said to be therapeutically
useful in the management of convulsion, leprosy, stomachache, inflammation
and/or rheumatoid pains, couch and loss of appetite (Valko et al., 2007). The
spices prevent postpartum contraction and aid lactation. They are also used as
vegetables for spicing meat, oil bean salad, and foods., most of these spices
have been associated with abundant bitter principle which is claimed to reduce
blood sugar levels, and their liquor taken as a purge for colic, stomach pains,
and worm infections. It is also believed that new born babies grow rapidly when
they are fed with food made of these spices (Roger, 2002). The spices grow
commonly in high forest areas of the south eastern region of Nigeria, as
climbers, perennial creepers, or slim shrubs and trees and are available all
year round (Sofowora, 1993). Proximate and nutrient analysis of medicinal
plants, edible fruits and vegetables plays a crucial role in assessing their
nutritional significance (Pandey et. al., 2006). As various medicinal plant
species are also consumed as food along with their medicinal benefits,
evaluating their nutritional significance can help to understand the worth of
these plant species (Pandey et. al., 2006).
There
are also various claims about the usefulness of these spices, especially their
use in fattening homes, and remarkable growth of new born babies whose mothers
use these spices our results would aid in assessing their nutritional potential
in relation to their ethnomedicinal uses by the people of South East of
Nigeria. The spices include piper guineenses (uziza), Xylopia Aethiopica (Uda),
Monodora myristica (Ehuru), and Tetrapleura tetraptera (oshosho). These spices
have been described variously by (Smith et. al., 1996). The result of this
study will aid in appreciating the acclaimed medicinal properties of these spices
and their age long usage by the people.
Despite
the huge nutritional values and availability of local spices such as Prosopis
Africana, castor oil bean as food spices, some developing countries like
Nigeria require more information on the needs for increasing their utilization.
Most of the consumers do not know much about the nutritional values, therefore
use them as functional ingredient in foods for the purposes of tastes or
aromatic characteristics. Hence strong emphasis on the nutritional values of both
“okpeye” Prosopis Africana and “ogiri” Castor oil bean are required in Nigeria
so as to reduce the intake of industrial seasoning such as maggi.
However,
fear of the unknown in the components of maggi is the major factor that
inhibits its maximum usage in Nigeria. Recently in Nigeria, there has been
series of controversial publications and debates over the use of maggi and
monosodium glutamate as a cancer inducing seasoning (Umunna, 1999: Nnanyelugo,
1996 & 1998, and Ajinomotor, 1994). Olney (1969) observed that brain
lesions, obesity and other disturbances are in food mice treated with
monosodium glutamate which might be detrimental to health. Some other reports
even asked for the ban of maggi because they contain monosodium glutamate while
some maintain that the amount of monosodium glutamate in maggi is negligible,
so it is safe (Frank, 1984). However, many Nigerian still use industrial food
spices such as maggi more than the local food spices such as “ogiri”, “okpeye”, as flavor enhancer, their nutritional differences not withstanding.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVE
This
research work is aimed at analyzing the physicochemical and antioxidant
properties of culinary and local spices, with special reference Prosopis
Africana “okpeye” and Castor oil bean “ogiri”. Specifically, the study will;
1.
Analyze the nutrient composition of fermented Prosopis
Africana”okpeye”.
2.
Analyze the nutrient composition of
fermented Castor oil bean “ogiri”.
3.
Comparing the nutritional composition of
both castor oil bean “ogiri” and Prosopis Africana “okpeye”.
Local
spicess such as “okpeye” and “ogiri” are used to enhance the flavor of food.
Therefore a number of benefits will be derived from a comparative analysis of
Prosopis Africana “okpeye” and castor oil bean “ogiri”. The result of this
study will be beneficial to homemakers, Home Economists, health worker,
nutritionist, dietitians, general public and the government.
The
findings will be of great value to homemakers by bringing to their awareness the nutritional values of
both Prosopis Africana “okpeye” and castor oil bean “ogiri”. With these
findings the homemakers from different states of Nigeria will know the best
local food spicess to use and the one that will be more nutritious among people
of different age groups. And this could be achieved through seminar \ workshops
or women conference such as August meeting and demonstration programme in any state.
Further,
the finding of the study will help Home Economists through Home Economists
Extension programmes where homemakers are educated on ways of solving national
problems associated with nutrition or other diseases. Secondly Home Economists
will have the opportunity to educate the homemakers and others on the poisonous
or harmful nature of these local spicess when they are not properly fermented.
Finally castor oil bean plant in a garden should not be allowed to flower and
seed. A good practice is to “nip it in the bud”, because it kills both adult
and children alike.
This
study will also help the nutritionist and the dietitians to know the type of
spicess to recommend for people that lacks some nutrient in the body and also
to the people that have health problems.
The
result of this finding will help the health workers to know the health
implications of both Prosopis Africana (okpeye) and castor oil bean (ogiri).
Finally,
the result of this study will also help the Government to advice the general
public on the type of local spicess to use.
The
study will be tested at 0.05 level of significance.
Ho1:
There will be no significant difference between the mean nutritional values of
fermented Prosopis Africana (okpeye) and fermented castor oil bean (ogiri).
1.2 DEFINITION OF TERMS
1.2.1 Physicochemical
According
to the thinkexist.con dictionary, it involves the principles of both physics
and chemistry, depend on, or produced by, the join actions of physical and
chemical agencies.
1.2.3 Antioxidant
An
antioxidant is a chemical compound that actually inhibits oxidation. During the
winter months your body has a lot more work to do fighting off infection. Many
people believe that increasing your intake of antioxidants that you will be
able to fight off those cold causing infections. Something known as free
radicals tend attack the healthy cells, especially during cold and flu season.
It has been medically proved that antioxidant protect those healthy cells from
the free radicals.
1.2.3 Property
According
to the oxford advanced learners dictionary, property is a thin or things or
quality that are owned by somebody or something, a possession or possessions:
1.2.4 Culinary Herbs:
Culinary
herbs are those annual, biennial or perennial plants whose green parts, tender
roots or ripe seeds have an aromatic flavor and fragrance, due either to a
volatile oil or to other chemically named substances peculiar to the individual
species. The herbs having a pleasing scent are called sweet, and since they
have been long used in cookery to add their characteristic flavors to soups,
stews, dressing, sauces and salads, they are popularly called culinary.
1.2.5 Local Spices:
A
local spice on the other hand is any of the various vegetable productions which
are fragrant or aromatic and pungent to the taste.
1.2.6 Pipe Guineense (Uziza)
Is
a West African Pepper, also known as Ashanti pepper, Benin pepper false Cubeb,
guinea cubeb. Uziza pepper or (ambiguously) “Guinea pepper”. Called locally
kale, kukauabe, masoro, sasema and soro wisa, it a West African spice that
corresponds to the dried fruit of Piper guineense. As such, it is a member of
the genus Piper, like all true pepper seeds. It is a close relative of cubeb
pepper and a relative of black pepper and long pepper. Unlike cubeb pepper,
which is large and spherical in shape, Ashanti peppers are prolate spheroids,
smaller and smoother than Cubeb pepper in appearance and generally bear a
reddish tinge. The stalks of Ashanti pepper berries are also distinctly curved
whilst those of cubeb pepper are completely straight
1.2.7 XYLOPIA AETHIOPICA (UDA)
According
to A. Rish, Xylopia aethiopica is an evergreen, aromatic tree, growing up to
20m high. It is a native to the lowland rainforest and moist fringe forests in
the savanna zones of Africa. The dried fruits of X. aethiopica (Grains of
Selim) are used as a spice and a traditional medicine. Etymology, Xylopia is a
compression from Greek, iXov Irt’pov (xylon pikron) meaning “bitter wood”,
aethiopica refers to the origin of the tree, though currently, most of it grows
in Ghana xylopia Aethiopica is a medicinal plant of great repute in West Africa
which produces a variety of complex chemical compounds. The fresh and dried
fruits, leaf, stem bark and root bark essential oils showed various degrees of
activity against the Gram positive bacteria, bacillus Subtilis and
Staphylococcus Aureus, the Gram positive bacteria, bacillus subtilis and
staphylococcus aureus, the Gram negative bacteria pseudomonas aeruginosa and
the yeast-like fungus candida albicans, using the cup plate method. However,
none of the oils showed activity against Escherichia coli.
1.2.8 MONODORA MYRISTICA (EHURU)
Also
known as Calabash nutmeg (Monodora Myristica) Gaertn Dunal is a tropical tree
of the family Annonaceae or custard apple family of flowering plants. In former
times, its seeds were widely sold as a inexpensive nutmeg substitute. Nowadays
however, this is less common outside its region of production.
1.2.9 TETRAPLEURA TETRAPTERA (OSHOSHO)
According
to Adesina et al (1980), tetrapleura tetraptera is a species of flowering plant
in the pea family native to Western Africa. The plant is called Prekese (or,
more correctly, Prekese) in the Twi language of Ghana. The tree has many uses.
Its sweet fragrance is highly valued, its fruit is used to spice dishes, and
its bark is used for medicinal purposes.
In
so many countries, the use of culinary herbs and local spices are so extensive
in many cultural ways. Culinary herbs make refreshing teas or drinks to purge
or give appetite; as message liquids or oils for bites, swellings, sprains,
pains and bruises; as poultices to draw out impurities and foreign bodies; as
aphrodisiacs to make a man virile, a woman more fertile and also for abortion
and contraception. (Edeoga et al 2005).
It
is almost forgotten that not too long ago bitters were common to the table.
They were made from herbs that had ample potash and were good because they
contained potassium.
In
the view of Achinewhu et al (1995), the fragrance of each herb provides a clue
to its unique character. But if you are unfamiliar with a herb, take the direct
approach. Pull off a leaf (or some seeds) and taste it. Then experiment adding
a few snips of one or a sprinkling of another to your favorite recipes.
Culinary herbs are a seed plant which does not develop woody tissue as that of
a shrub or tree, but is more or less soft or succulent. Herbs act as astringents,
acidifiers, alkalinizers, tonics, diaphoretics, diuretics, laxatives and serve
several other purposes. Thus herbs may be spices as well as herbs.
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