Amino and Fatty Acid Profiles of Mechanically Dehulled Toasted African Breadfruit (Treculia africana) Seed Flour as Affected by Pre-toasting Treatments

African breadfruit seeds are rich in essential and non-essential amino acids, have unique fatty acid profile, with a predominance of unsaturated fatty acids. This study was conducted to determine the amino and fatty acid profiles of pretreated, toasted African breadfruit seeds. African breadfruit seeds were soaked with and without Alum at different durations, toasted, mechanically dehulled, milled into flour and 10 samples were generated; five (5) of which were Alum-soaked and five (5) of which were soaked without Alum – SSA2, SSA4, SSA6, SSA8, SSA10 and SWA2, SWA4, SWA6, SWA8, SWA10, respectively. Additionally, a portion of the African breadfruit seeds was toasted without prior soaking, dehulled, milled into flour and coded as SWS. The amino and fatty acid components of the flour samples were determined with standard methods. The results showed that total amino acid composition was highest in sample SWA8 (95.20g/100g protein) and lowest in the untreated sample (SWS) 76.67g/100g, total essential amino acid was highest in sample SSA8 (41.37g/100g) and lowest in sample SWS (29.71g/100g protein), total non-essential amino acid was highest in sample SWA8 (56.48g/100g protein) and lowest in sample SSA6 (46.35g/100g). The total unsaturated fatty acid composition was highest in the untreated sample (SWS) 85.10g/100g and lowest in sample SWA8 (71.40g/100g). The study revealed that pretreated, toasted African breadfruit seeds exhibit substantial amino and fatty acid profiles, contributing invaluable perspectives for their potential applications in food and nutrition.

Keywords: African Breadfruit Seeds, Amino Acids, Fatty Acids, Soaking, Toasting