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

Authors

  • Florence Boniface Mkwawa University College of Education, University of Dar es Salaam, P. O. Box 2513 Iringa, Tanzania
  • Stephen I. Nnungu Department of Botany, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, P. O. Box 35060 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
  • Washa B. Washa Mkwawa University College of Education, University of Dar es Salaam, P. O. Box 2513 Iringa, Tanzania

Abstract

In tropical countries, Mucuna seeds have been utilized to promote better health and ensure a
stable food supply. The use of Mucuna pruriens var. utilis seeds in Tanzania has prompted an
evaluation of the nutritional composition of two common cultivars grown in the Nanyumbu
district. Mucuna seed samples (black-reddish brown and black-greyish) were collected and
analyzed for their nutritional content using standard extraction and spectrophotometric
techniques. Data analysis was conducted using GraphPad InStat 3.0 software, with a t-test
employed to compare means at a 95% confidence level. The results indicated that the
differences in nutritional parameters between the black-reddish brown and black-greyish
Mucuna 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 energy
content ranged from 48.13% to 46.50%, 2.13% to 1.39%, 26.75% to 23.12%, 15.99% to
14.51%, 3.23% to 3.21%, 0.98 to 0.84 mg/g, 0.011 to 0.004 mg/100 mg, 0.006 to 0.0058
mg/100 mg, and 1303.7 to 1243.1 kJ/100 g, respectively. Both cultivars of Mucuna seeds
exhibit dietary qualities that can be explored as alternative food sources for the malnourished
population in the country.

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Published

2025-03-25

Issue

Vol. 50 No. 4 (2024)

Section

Biological Sciences Section