Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Open Access
ISSN: 2155-9600
ISSN: 2155-9600
The levels of vitamin E after processing of melon (Citrullus vulgaris) seed and groundnut (Arachis hypogea) into some of their commonly consumed forms in Nigeria, was investigated. Raw melon seeds were processed into roasted melon, fermented melon (ogiri), defatted fried cake (robo) and melon seed oil, using available traditional methods. Raw groundnut was also processed using traditional methods, into; roasted groundnut, fried groundnut cake (kulikuli) and groundnut oil. The raw and processed products were analyzed for vitamin E using a RP-HPLC (Reverse Phase-High Performance Liquid Chromatography) system after the samples had been saponified and the vitamin extracted from them. Results showed that vitamin E levels in the processed melon seed products were less than that in the raw melon, with the exception of the melon oil which had the highest amount of vitamin E in this group (16.1 mg/100g, 3.9 mg/100 g, 12.0 mg/100g, 6.1 mg/100g and 20.1 mg/100g for raw melon, roasted melon, fermented melon seeds (ogiri), defatted fried cake (robo), and melon oil respectively). There was a statistically significant difference in the level of vitamin E in the raw melon compared with the levels in the processed products (p<0.05) except the melon oil which was not. In the groundnut products, the vitamin E levels were higher in the processed products than in the raw groundnut: 8.9 mg/100g, 16.7 mg/100g, 13.1 mg/100g and 48.1mg in the raw groundnut, roasted groundnut, defatted fried cake (kulikuli), and groundnut oil, respectively. The difference in vitamin E levels in the raw and processed groundnut products was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). Interestingly, groundnut and melon seed oils were found to have the highest vitamin E content. This study showed that groundnut and melon seeds are good sources of vitamin E, most especially the oils of these seeds.