Effects of Processing Methods on the Nutritional Quality of ‘Dawadawan Botso’ (A Condiment) Produced from Cassia Sieberiana Seeds

The effects of processing methods on the nutritional quality of dawadawan botso (DDB) produced from the seeds of Cassia sieberianawas undertaken. The dehulled fermented product had the highest microbial standard count of 47.0 ± 3.5 x 108 CFU/g while those fromundehulled seeds had 23.0 ± 5.7 x 108 CFU/g. The result of microbial analysis revealed the presence of Bacillus subtilis, Pediococcusdamnosus and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus as the predominant organisms associated with DDB. The proximate and mineral analysisrevealed that DDB produced from dehulled seeds had the highest carbohydrate and crude protein contents of 69.81 and 12.69%respectively. Sodium and potassium are the major minerals in DDB with 1750.00 and 2000 mg/kg respectively. Result of amino acidanalysis showed that fermentation increased the quantity of all amino acids and non essential amino acids particularly leucineandphenyl alanine with 1.92 and 1.27 g/ 100 g protein while, aspartic and glutamic acids recorded the highest increase after fermentation
with 1.34 g/ 100 g protein each. Glutamic, aspartic acids and leucine are the major amino acids in the unfermented seeds.Fermentation decreased the contents of tannin, cyanide and phytate significantly (P<0.05). The results of this study suggest that seedsof C. sieberiana could be exploited as a source of raw material for the production of DDB and dehulling and fermention improves thequality of the product.