Potential Food Value of Watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus) Seed Constituents

Abstract

Protein malnutrition in the developing countries is of great importance because a large number of people in the part of the world do not have access to cheap protein source. Water melon seeds are reported to be high in protein content, hence the potential of the seed constituents as source of food protein was evaluated.

Flour was prepared from the seeds' constituents of whole seeds, shelled seeds and the shell and the flour evaluated foe proximate composition, functional properties as well as mineral composition using standard methods reported in the literature.

The crude protein of the constituents ranged between 13.31 and 38.92% with the whole meal, having significantly (p<0.05) highest value. The fibre content of the shell (30.03%) was significantly highest. The most abundant minerals we magnesium and potassium with values ranging from 86.67 to 109.63 mg/100g. The shell had significantly (p<0.05) highest values of water absorption capacity (2.41 g/g) and oil absorption capacity (1.50 g/g) values. The whole meal recorded the highest value of the least gelation concentration (16.0%). The bulk and tapped density values were highest in the shell (0.54 and 0.71 g/cm³ respectively).

The high values of the protein, fibre, minerals as well as functional properties could make the constituents good source of food supplements.