Treculia africana
(African breadfruit) seeds extracted from fresh fruit heads were treated with graded concentrations (1% -5%) of trona (sodium sesquicarbonate) and wood ash for 5 – 25 min to evaluate their demucilaginating effectiveness. Seeds from naturally fermented and unfermented fruit heads served as controls. The effect of the demucilaginating aid on nutrient composition, colour and water absorption capacity were determined. Trona at 5% (w/w) concentration removed 27% of the total seed mucilage (30%) in 25 min while wood ash at the same concentration and treatment time removed 6% of the total mucilage. There were no significant (p > 0.05) variations among treatments in colour, water absorption and proximate composition. Seeds from the naturally fermented and unfermented fruit heads (controls) contained 13.8% and 15.2% crude protein respectively. The control sample (seeds from the unfermented fruit head) had 28% to 38% more calcium than seeds from the other treatments. Free fatty acid and peroxide values were very high (P < 0.05) in the ether extract of seeds from the fermented fruit head (control). Using trona as a demucilaginating aid was found to be more effective than using wood ash.
