Effect of boiling and roasting on the nutrient and anti-nutrient contents in conophor nut flour

In the current study, the effect of boiling and roasting conophor nuts on the nutrient and anti-nutrient contents in the flour was investigated. The proximate analysis showed that the flour from raw nut is rich in protein content (54.49%). Flours from the boiled nuts and roasted nuts contained lower protein, fat and ash contents, but higher crude fibre, carbohydrate and caloric value than their values in the flour from raw nut. Boiling and roasting of the nuts led to reductions in the Ca, Na, Mg, Fe and Zn contents in the conophor nut flour when compared with their values in the flour from raw nut. “Flour from roasted nuts had significantly (p<0.05) higher K and P contents than their values in the flours from raw and boiled nuts”. Boiling and roasting of the nuts significantly (p<0.05) reduced the levels of HCN, oxalate, phytate, tannins and trypsin inhibitor in the flour when compared with their values in the flour from raw nut. Boiling was more effective in the reduction of the anti-nutritional factors than roasting.