Nutritional Quality And Physico-chemical Properties Of The Seed And Oil Of Chinese Fan Palm

ABSTRACT 

The oil of the raw seeds of Livistona chinensis (Chinese fan palm) was extracted and its physico-chemical properties evaluated. The proximate composition and the anti-nutrients present in the pulp, raw seed, blanched (4, 6, and 8 minutes), cooked (20, 40 and 60 minutes) and the roasted (1100C for 5, 10 and 15 minutes) seeds were determined. An acute toxicity study was also carried out on the seed during which albino rats were differently fed the raw and also the cooked and roasted samples at 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100: 0 sample-to-commercial feed (Emii feed) ratios respectively for 14 days. The results obtained showed that the oil had  a specific gravity (270C) of 0.8638g/cm3, smoke point of 140 – 1420C, flash point of 239 – 2430C, iodine value of 35.307mg iodine/g oil, peroxide value of 13.98 MeqO2/kg oil, saponification value of 40.125mg KOH/g oil, free fatty acids value of 22.031% and acid value of 43.828mgKOH/g oil. The raw seed had a very high crude fibre content (38.21%) and low carbohydrate content (17.82%). Nine (9) anti-nutrients (Tannin: 0.49%, Phytates: 1.20%, Oxalates: 0.18%, Saponins: 5.50%, Hydrogen cyanide: 1.46mg/kg, Alkaloids: 6.00%, total phenols: 0.61%, Flavonoids: 4.00% and oligosaccharides: 27.50%) were found to be present in the raw seed. During processing there was a general reduction trend of the anti-nutrients at different rates but total elimination of saponins, alkaloids and flavonoids was achieved at 40 minutes cooking while oxalates were totally eliminated at 60 minutes cooking. Haematological studies showed a selective effect on some albino rat blood parameters (packed cell volume: 39.00%, haemoglobin:    13.00g/dl, platelets: 864.21 x 109/L for albino rats fed 50:50 cooked sample-to-commercial feed mix) and also its ability to cause hyposplenism, thromboembolism and thrombocytosis with possible vascular accidents at higher ratios.