Comparative determination of protein contents of breadfruit, brown beans and soybeans

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p><b>&nbsp;</b><b>INTRODUCTION</b></p><p><b>1.1 &nbsp; </b><b>Background of the Study</b></p><p>Proteins<br>are essential nutrients for the human body (Hermann, 2002). They are one of the<br>building block of the body tissue, and also serve as a fuel source. As a fuel,<br>protein contain 4kcal (17kj) per gram, just like carbohydrates and unlike<br>lipids, which contain 9kcal (37kj) per gram. The most important aspect and<br>defining characteristics of protein from a nutritional stand point is its amino<br>acid composition (Laurence, 2000).</p><p>Proteins<br>are polymer chains made of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. During<br>human digestion, proteins are broken down in the stomach to smaller polypeptide<br>chain via hydrochloric acid and protease actions. This is crucial for the<br>synthesis of the essential amino acids that cannot be biosynthesized by the<br>body (Genton, 2010). There are nine essential amino acids which humans must<br>obtain from their diet in order to prevent protein-energy malnutrition. They<br>are phenylalanine, valine, lysine, leucine, threonine, tryptophan, methionine,<br>isoleucine and histidine (Laurence, 2000). There are five dispensable amino<br>acids which humans are able to synthesize in the body. These five are alanine,<br>aspartic acid, sernine, asparagines and glutamic acid. There are six<br>conditionally essential amino acids whose synthesis can be limited under<br>special pathophysiological conditions, such as prematurity in the infant or<br>individuals in severe catabolic distress (Laurence, 2000). These six are<br>argnine, cysteine, glycine, glutamine, proline and tryrosine (Laurence, 2000).<br>Sources of protein include grains, legumes and nuts, as well as animal sources<br>such as meats, dairy products, fish and eggs (Young, 1994).</p><p>African<br>breadfruit (<i>Treculia Africana Decne) </i>belongs<br>to the mulberry family. Moracceae, which is of African origin but now grown in<br>the most tropical and sub-tropical countries (Agu and Nwabueze, 2007). African<br>breadfruit or wild jack fruit in some areas, is a neglected and under exploited<br>tropical tree (Osuji and Owei, 2010).</p><p>According<br>to Okonkwo and Ubani (2012), it is a common forest tree called various names<br>among different tribes in Nigeria, such as “Ukwa” (Igbo), “afon” (Yoruba),<br>“eyo” (Igala), “barafuta” (Hausa), “Ize” (Benin) and “edikang” (Efik). The tree<br>crop is widely grown in the southern state of Nigeria where it serves as low<br>cost meat substituent for poor families in some communities (Badifu and Akuba,<br>2001; Ugwu, et al, 2001). the plant produced large, usually round, compound<br>fruit covered with pointed outgrowths and the seeds are buried in the spongy<br>pulp of the fruits (Nwokolo, 1996). the seeds are seldom eaten raw but can be<br>baked, roasted or fried before consumption, or they can be ground into flour in<br>bakery products (Agu et al, 2007; Ijeh et al, 2010). African breadfruit seeds<br>are highly nutritious and constitute a cheap source of vitamins, minerals,<br>proteins, carbohydrates and fats.</p><p>Brown<br>beans (<i>Phaseolus Vulgaris) </i>is a<br>herbaceous annual plant grown worldwide for its edible dry seeds (Known as just<br>‘Beans”) or unripe fruit (Green beans). It’s leaf is also occasionally used as<br>a vegetable and the straw as fodder. It’s botanical classification, along with<br>other phaseolus species, is as a member of the legume family fabaceae, most of<br>whose members acquire the nitrogen they require through association with<br>rhizoidal, a species of nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Edet, 1982). Beans are grown<br>in every continent except Antarctica. Brazil and India are the largest<br>producers of dry beans, while china produces by far, the largest quantity of<br>brown beans. Worldwide, 23 million tones of dry common beans and 17.1 billion<br>tones of green were grown in 2010 (Philips, 2010). Similar to other beans, the<br>brown beans is high in starch, protein and dietary fiber, and is an excellent<br>source of iron, selenium, potassium, molybdenum, thiamine, vitamin B6<br>and folate (Paul, 1998) .</p><p>The<br>soybean (<i>Glycine max </i>(L.) Merrill<br>family Leguminosae, subfamily Papilionoidae) originated in Eastern Asia,<br>probably in north and central china. It is believed that cultivated varieties were<br>introduced into Korea and later Japan some 2000 years ago. Soybeans have been grown<br>as food crop for thousands of years in China and other countries of East and South<br>East Asia and constitute to this day, an important component of the traditional<br>popular diet in these regions (William, 2003). Although the U.S.A and Brazil<br>account today for the most of the soybean production of the world, the<br>introduction of this crop to Western agriculture is quite recent. Soybeans are<br>primarily, an industrial crop, cultivated for oil protein. Despite the<br>relatively low oil content of the seed (about 20% on moisture-free basis),<br>Soybeans are the largest single source of edible oil and account for roughly<br>50% of total oil seed production of the world (Singh, Nelson and Chung, 2008).<br>With each ton of crude soybean oil, approximately 4.5 tons of soybean oil meal<br>with a protein content of about 44% are produced. For each ton of soybeans<br>processed, the commercial value of the meal obtained usually exceeds that of<br>the oil. Thus, soybean oil meal cannot be considered by-product of the oil manufacture.<br>The soybean is, in this respect, an exception among oil seed (Shurtleff; Steenhuis<br>and Spiers, 2013). It can be calculated that the quality of protein in the<br>yearly world production of soybeans, if it could be totally and directly<br>utilized for human consumption would be sufficient for providing roughly one<br>third of the global need for protein (William, 2003). This makes the soybeans<br>one of the largest potential source of dietary protein. However, the bulk of<br>soybean oil meal is used in animal feed for the production of meat and eggs.<br>Despite considerable public and commercial interest in soybean products as<br>food, the proportion of soybean protein consumed directly in human nutrition is<br>still relatively small (Smith, 1972).</p><p><b>1.2 &nbsp; &nbsp; </b><b>Statement of Problem</b></p><p>It<br>has been scientifically proven that every variety of beans is rich in protein<br>and contains such amount of carbohydrates that is good for diabetic patients.<br>This not the case with African breadfruit, while some say that it is highly protein<br>ones other say it contains mostly carbohydrates. This controversy has created<br>confusion to many especially diabetic patients who are cross road whether to<br>keep eating it or not. This research is therefore aimed at setting the<br>controversy. &nbsp; </p><p><b>1.3 &nbsp; &nbsp; </b><b>Objective of the Study</b></p><p>The<br>general objective of this present work is to determine and compare the protein<br>content of breadfruit, brown beans and soybean. The specific objectives are as<br>follows;</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>To<br>determine the protein content of breadfruit.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>To<br>determine the protein content of brown beans.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>To determine the protein content of<br>soybeans.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Comparison of protein content of<br>breadfruit, brown beans and soybeans.</p><p><b>1.4 &nbsp; &nbsp; </b><b>Significance of the Study</b></p><p>The<br>research will be beneficial to the following;</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Diabetic patients</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Dieticians</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>People in the health sector</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>Vegetarians and</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>The general public</p><p><b>1.5 &nbsp; &nbsp; </b><b>Scope of the Study</b></p><p>This<br>research work is limited to the comparative determination of protein content of<br>breadfruit, brown beans and soybeans.</p><br> <br><p></p>