PROXIMATE ANALYSIS AND MINERAL (ELEMENTAL) COMPOSITION OF CERTAIN SPICES OF MANIPUR, INDIA

Abstract

The study aim to estimate the proximate composition and mineral (elemental) content of different parts of nine spice plants namely, Anethum graveolens L., Allium hookeri Thwaites, Allium ramosum L.., Citrus hystrix DC., Eryngium foetidum L., Houttuynia cordata Thunb., Lepidium sativum L., Polygonum posumbu Buch.-Ham. ex. D. Don and Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC. The proximate composition of ash, crude fibre, fat, carbohydrate, crude protein and moisture were determined using standard methods. The elemental concentration was determined u sing atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). All the samples have a relatively high moisture content when compared to ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre and total carbohydrate content. The crude proteins in the samples ranged from 34.993±0.303 to 15.035±0.075%. There was a significant variation in the crude fat content that ranged between 3.182±0.070 to 1.433±0.019%. The leaves of Z. acanthopodium DC, recorded the maximum amount of crude fibre that corresponds to a value of 7.290±0.115%. Macronutrients such as calcium and magnesium were present in significant amount in all the spice samples. Among micronutrients Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Ni were present at varied concentrations. The study showed that the spice plants are nutritionally rich in addition to their role as flavouring agents. These results will contribute to the knowledge of nutritional properties of these plants and may be useful for the evaluation of dietary information.