PROXIMATE ANALYSIS, ANTI-NUTRITIONAL FACTORS AND HEAVY METAL CONTENTS OF BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII(SHEA BUTTER TREE) STEM BARK EXTRACT.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Shea butter tree (butyrospermum parkii) belongs to the family Sapotaceae. It has been existing for more than 4,000 years ago. This study is aimed at uncovering the yet to be known compositions of the shea butter tree bark through the determination of its proximate, anti-nutritional and heavy metal composition. The Proximate composition were determined using the method describe by Association of official analytical chemist’s, while Carbohydrate were determined by difference. The anti-nutritional composition were determined using the method describe by Van Burden and Robinson (1981) for tannins, Railes method (1992) for cyanide, Lucas and Markaka method (1975) for phytate and Day and Underwood method (1986) for oxalate. The dried stem gave proximate values (%) of 0.729 ±0.126, 7.000±1.000, 4.667±0.577, 7.000±1.000, 5.000±1.000, and 74.937±2.435 for protein, fat, fibre, ash, moisture and carbohydrate, respectively. The anti-nutritional contents gave 59.143±0.425, 0.036±0.005, 41.030±0.272 and 8.730±0.180 for phytate, oxalate, tannins and cyanide respectively. The heavy metal contents gave 0.0065±0.0001, 0.2529±0.0001, 0.1300±0.0002, 0.3401±0.0002 and N.D for chromium, copper, manganese, nickel and lead respectively.