Nutritional Composition of Mucuna pruriens var. utilis (Velvet bean) Seeds Grown in Nanyumbu District, Tanzania

Abstract

In tropical countries, Mucuna seeds have been utilized to promote better health and ensure astable food supply. The use of Mucuna pruriens var. utilis seeds in Tanzania has prompted anevaluation of the nutritional composition of two common cultivars grown in the Nanyumbudistrict. Mucuna seed samples (black-reddish brown and black-greyish) were collected andanalyzed for their nutritional content using standard extraction and spectrophotometrictechniques. Data analysis was conducted using GraphPad InStat 3.0 software, with a t-testemployed to compare means at a 95% confidence level. The results indicated that thedifferences in nutritional parameters between the black-reddish brown and black-greyishMucuna seeds were not significant (P > 0.05), except for crude lipid and carbohydrate content.The protein, lipid, carbohydrate, fiber, ash, vitamin C, beta carotene, lycopene, and energycontent ranged from 48.13% to 46.50%, 2.13% to 1.39%, 26.75% to 23.12%, 15.99% to14.51%, 3.23% to 3.21%, 0.98 to 0.84 mg/g, 0.011 to 0.004 mg/100 mg, 0.006 to 0.0058mg/100 mg, and 1303.7 to 1243.1 kJ/100 g, respectively. Both cultivars of Mucuna seedsexhibit dietary qualities that can be explored as alternative food sources for the malnourishedpopulation in the country.