Akuru UB*, Amadi BA2and Abbey BW3
Proximate, amino acid and fatty acid composition of Eremomastax polysperma, Brillantaisia owariensis and Sorghum vulgare leaf-sheath was studied. The amino acid content was assayed using High performance liquid chromatograpy while the fatty acid content was assayed using gas chromatograpy. The results from this research, showed that the ash and protein content of Eremomastax polysperma (3.91 ± 0.01%; 3.80 ± 0.05%) was significantly higher than Sorghum vulgare (1.74 ± 0.03%; 1.21 ± 0.05%), and B. owariensis (3.39 ± 0.01%; 1.61 ± 0.01%) respectively. The total essential amino acid composition of Eremomastax polysperma (43.18g/100g) was higher than Brillantaisia owariensis (39.41g/100g) and S. vulgare (31.40g/100g), with lysine and cysteine concentration of B. owariensis (9.72; 9.45) been higher than E. polysperma (9.48;6.59g/ 100g) and S. vulgare (4.11 and 7.19g/100g). The total nonessential amino acid composition of Sorghum vulgare leafsheath (59.49g/100g ) was higher than Eremomastax polysperma (53.09g/100g) and Brillantaisia owariensis (53.82g/100g), with glutamate (14.69, 20.08 and 14.46g/ 100g) and aspartate (12.21, 13.22 and 10.64g/100g) having a higher concentration for E. polysperma, S. vulgare and B. owareinsis respectively. For the fatty acid composition, Sorghum vulgare leaf-sheath (17.51%) had a higher oleic acid concentration than Eremomastax polysperma (1.50%) and Brillantaisia owariensis (5.96%). Brillantaisia owariensis had a higher palmitic acid (35.30%) and behenic acid (14.17%) than Eremomastax polysperma (0.00% and 13.13%) and Sorghum vulgare leaf-sheath(25.96% and 12.21%) . Whereas Eremomastax polysperma had a higher myristic, magaric and linolenic acid concentration (45.91%; 20.27% and 10.45%) than Brillantaisia owariensis (37.23%; 0.36% and 0.00%) and Sorghum vulgare leaf-sheath (37.24%; 0.11% and 0.03%) respectively. The results obtained from this research implies that Eremomastax polysperma, Brillantaisia owariensis leaves and Sorghum vulgare leaf-sheath have nutritional benefits.
