Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) a renewed multipurpose crop for a more sustainable agri-food system. Nutritional advantages and constraints (original) (raw)
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Article , 2022
Cowpea is a widely consumed food crop produced in the Savanna zone of Ghana. Anti-nutrients/bio-active compounds in it limit the biological availability of important nutrients/minerals (proteins, carbohydrates, fat, sodium, zinc, calcium, iron e.t.c). This study employed soaking to investigate the nutritional value of three cowpea varieties (Wang Kae, Kirkhouse Benga and Padi-Tuya). The soaking was in two forms; soaking in water and soaking with 1% each of NaHCO 3 and NaCl solutions. Standard chemical analytical procedures were carried out to measure proximate parameters (Fat, protein, carbohydrate, ash, moisture and crude fibre), anti-nutrients/bioactive compounds (Tannins, phytates, oxalate and flavonoids), and minerals (Sodium, iron, calcium and zinc) contents of the cowpea varieties. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) in proximate composition, anti-nutrients/bioactive compounds and minerals among the cowpea varieties were obtained. Moisture content, ash, crude protein, crude fat, carbohydrates and crude fibre varied among the soaking regimes for the samples in the ranges of 7.47-19.90%, 2.35-6.11%, 23.35-26.33%, 29.23-35.33%, 21.70-31.36% and 2.24-4.78%, respectively. Values for iron, zinc, calcium and sodium ranged between 24.86-214.46mg/kg, 45.02-216.93mg/kg, 31.12-56.59mg/kg and 34.82-136.13mg/kg, respectively. Tannins, phytate, flavonoids and oxalate values also ranged between 1.35-6.74mg/g, 4.18-10.70mg/g, 15.50-91.39mg/100g and 13.64-24.63mg/g, respectively. These results indicate that, soaking with water and (NaHCO 3 + NaCl) solution have potentialities for enhancing nutritional value in the cowpea varieties, which could be a means of combating nutritional deficiencies and food insecurity in Ghana and other countries in West Africa.
Cowpea Immature Pods and Grains Evaluation: An Opportunity for Different Food Sources
Plants
Currently, the sustainability of agro-food systems is one of the major challenges for agriculture and the introduction of new pulse-based products can be a good opportunity to face this challenge. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) is a nutritionally important crop and has the particularity that the aerial section of the plant is entirely edible. The current research determines the nutritional composition of the alternative cowpea food sources immature pods and grains comparatively to dry grains through the evaluation of protein, minerals and different polyphenolic contents, and antioxidant capacity. Ten cowpea genotypes were analyzed during two harvest seasons. Cowpea immature pods and grains revealed high levels of total protein and K, Ca, Zn and Fe contents. In general, most of the genotypes produced cowpea of high nutritional value, with a high variation observed between them. Our results showed the potential of the introduction of new cowpea new products in the market allowing...
Nutritional Properties and Utilization of Cowpea Seeds, Leaves and Their Health Benefits
Journal of Advanced Research in Food Science and Nutrition, 2020
In India, 69% death of below the age of 5 years children is caused by malnutrition. This age group of children same effect every second child through the malnutrition according to UNICEF, 2019. Malnutrition is a condition where the body is deprived of minimum daily nourishment. India is ranked second in having malnourished children. Cookies are one of the most popular snacks and most popular worldwide. It can be fortified with various nutrients. Grain legumes play an important role in human nutrition; these can be used as a very easy vehicle for providing the proteins needed by the population. Vigna unguiculata (Cowpea) is an important protein source, which can be cooked plain, mixed with other foods or processed into different formulated recipes. Cookies can be easily fortified with protein-rich flours to provide convenience food to supplement protein in the diet. Cowpea cookies are beneficial to health and combat the malnutrition. In the present study, protein-rich cookies from co...
Utilization of cowpeas for human food
Field Crops Research, 2003
This paper reviews the research and outreach accomplishments of the cowpea utilization project sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development-funded Bean/Cowpea Collaborative Research Support Program. Research has examined a limited number of cultivars and has taken as its starting point mature, dry seeds. A broad spectrum of food quality issues have been studied, including: safety concerns and physiological effects associated with consuming legume seeds and products made from them; chemical composition and nutritional quality of the seeds and products; physical and functional behavior of seeds and products; and socioeconomic aspects including sensory quality of seeds and products, consumer acceptance, and costs and impacts of technology adoption. Research foci have included: The effect of pretreatment and storage on cowpea food quality; processing whole seeds to improve food quality; conversion of legume seeds into food ingredients, principally flours and meals; processing seeds and ingredients to improve food quality; and improvement of traditional foods and development of new foods from bean and cowpea-based ingredients.
Factors That Compromise the Nutritional Value of Cowpea Fluor and Its Protein Isolates
Anti-nutritional studies on cowpea (Vigna ungiculata L.) seeds as whole cowpea flour (WCF), dehulled cowpea flour (DCF), dehulled defatted cowpea flour (DDCF) and protein isolates obtained from DDCF by isoelectric (CPIA) and micellization (CPIB) precipitation. The protein content of WCF and DDCF were 22.3% and 26.75% respectively, while CPIA and CPIB showed 75% and 76% respectively. The abundant minerals in WCF and DCF were calcium (32.38 -33.61 mg/100 g); potassium (29.25 -24.99 mg/100 g); and sodium (1.76 -1.00 mg/100 g). The least abundant minerals were iron (0.004 -0.013 mg/100 g); copper (0.04 -0.25 mg/100 g); manganese (0.18 -0.30 mg/100 g) and zinc (0.26 -1.22 mg/100 g); respectively. Trypsin inhibitor activity for WCF, CPIA and CPIB was found 16,640 TIU/g, 4293 TIU/g and 4290 TIU/g respectively. Condensed tannins in RCF and DDCF were found 0.003% and 0.004% respectively while phytic acid content 0.8% and 1.17% respectively, no phytic acid and tannins were observed in protein isolates. Cowpea flour was also similar to other edible grain legumes in content of anti-nutritional factors; appropriate processing methods improved cowpea nutritive value and significantly reduced the levels of antinutritional factors.
Research Journal of Food Science and Nutrition
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is an important legume and an alternative source of protein which can be used as a substitute for animal protein that is limited in supply in Ethiopia. This study was initiated to evaluate the nutritional, antinutritional, functional properties and cooking time of two improved cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) varieties (Bole and Kanketi) grown in Ethiopia. The crude protein (28.80%), total ash (5.04%) and total energy (336.89 Kcal/100g) contents were higher for Bole variety than Kanketi variety (25.32%, 4.71% and 329.72 Kcal/100g), respectively. Kanketi variety had greater moisture content (8.91%), crude fiber (6.60%), crude fat (2.12%) and digestible carbohydrate (52.34%) than Bole variety (8.45%, 4.71%, 1.91% and 51.12%), respectively. The mineral content of the Bole variety revealed significantly higher values of Ca (43.36 mg/100g), Zn (6.17 mg/100g) and Fe (15.65 mg/100g) than Kanketi variety (41.91 mg/100g, 4.99 mg/100g and 13.32 mg/10...
Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Cowpea is the most important seed legume in Africa. Its leaves and seed are consumed to meet the dietary requirements of protein and micronutrient in rural African communities. In this study, leaf protein of 32 cowpea genotypes was 23-40% at Taung (South Africa), 28-40% at Wa and 24-35% at Manga (Ghana). Seed protein level was also up to 40% in landrace Bengpla and more than 30% in nine other genotypes planted at Taung. Trace elements in cowpea leaves showed markedly high concentrations of Fe (2,011 µg.g −1), Zn (150 µg.g −1), Mn (325 µg.g −1), and B (43 µg.g −1) in genotype Apagbaala, in contrast to the very low levels of Fe (273 µg.g −1), Zn (40 µg.g −1), Mn (219 µg.g −1), and B (32 µg.g −1) in genotype Encore. Leaf Fe concentration was highest in genotype Apagbaala (2,011 µg.g −1), followed by Fahari (2,004 µg.g −1), Iron Gray (1,302 µg.g −1), Line 2020 (944 µg.g −1), Bensogla (927 µg.g −1), Omondaw (605 µg.g −1), IT96D-1951 (591 µg.g −1), IT93K-452-1 (574 µg.g −1), Ngonji (569 µg.g −1), and Mchanganyika (566 µg.g −1), and lowest in Bechuana white (268 µg.g −1). Cowpea seed also showed greater concentrations of Fe in genotype Soronko (67 µg.g −1), IT93K-452-1 (67 µg.g −1), Brown Eye (65 µg.g −1), Bensogla (61 µg.g −1), and TVU11424 (62 µg.g −1). Trace elements in cowpea seed differed among genotypes, and ranged from 45.1 to 67.0 µg.g −1 for Fe, 33.9 to 69.2 µg.g −1 for Zn, 10.1 to 17.4 µg.g −1 for Mn, 14.7 to 21.4 µg.g −1 for B, and 5.2 to 8.1 µg.g −1 for Cu. Genotypes Apagbaala, Fahari, Iron Gray, and Line 2020, respectively, exhibited 34.2-, 34.0-, 22.5-, and 18.3-fold higher Fe concentration in leaves than seed, and 3.5-, 2.0-, 2.0-, and 3.5-fold greater Zn in leaves than seed (in that order). The genotypes that accumulated significantly high levels of protein and trace elements in cowpea leaves and seed, were generally high N 2-fixers, thus suggesting a link between N 2 fixation and cowpea's ability to synthesize protein and accumulate nutrient elements in leaves and seed. Therefore, identifying cowpea genotypes that can enhance protein accumulation and micronutrient density in edible leaves and seed through breeding has the potential to overcome protein-calorie malnutrition and trace element deficiency in rural Africa.
COMPARISON OF THE NUTRIENT COMPOSITION AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF NIGERIAN LOCAL VEGETABLE COWPEA VARIETIES (VIGNA UNGUICULATA. Walp) AND EXOTIC ONES, 2014
Vegetable cowpeas are integral components of the Nigerian traditional diet. They are relished for their delicious flavor and complement carbohydrate staples, supplying proteins, vitamins and minerals. The aim of this research work was to provide scientific information the nutrient composition (pods containing seeds and seeds alone) and physical characteristics of two local vegetable cowpea varieties Akidi-ani (AKA) and Akidi-enu (AKE) consumed in Nigeria, in comparison with nine exotic varieties. Physical methods were used to measure the pod dimensions. Nutrient composition of whole pods and seeds were determined using standard AOAC methods (AOAC, 1990).The proximate composition, mineral and phytochemical contents were determined. The pod length of AKE ranked 3 rd when compared with other vegetable cowpea varieties, while its pod width ranked 2 nd. The two local cowpea varieties contained significant amounts of crude protein (28% and 32.5% for AKE and AKA respectively), crude fiber 3.4% and 4.4% for AKA and AKE respectively), and ash. AKA also contained relatively high amounts of iron (1.8mg/g) and phosphorus (1.1mg/g) and was found to be richer in alkaloids (1.6mg/g) and tannins (1.5mg/g) than other vegetable cowpeas. The findings provide scientific data required for genetic modification of local cowpeas. It also highlights the need to diversify their utilization.
Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands), 1998
Reports on the nutritional composition of cowpea leaves have been limited to a small number of lines and the palatability characteristics of leaves apparently have not been studied. This study was therefore undertaken on cowpea leaves to determine the nutrient composition of fifteen varieties and the sensory attributes of ten varieties grown in Ghana. Nutritional components studied were moisture, protein, phosphorus and ascorbic acid. The sensory attributes included leaf size, taste and overall acceptability. There were significant (p > 0.05) differences among varieties in all nutrient components (fresh and dry weight basis), leaf size and overall acceptability. The nutrient composition values, on a dry weight basis, ranged from 9.4 to 13.0% for moisture, 303.8 to 468.9 mg/100 g for phosphorus, 33.5 to 148.0 mg/100 g for ascorbic acid, and 27.1 to 34.7% for protein. Differences in the sensory scores of leaves for taste were not significant (p > 0.05). Overall acceptability pos...