Estimation of Minerals, Carbohydrate, Protein and Fibre content of Malaysian native wood

• Main Author: Nur Idayu Khusaini
• Format: Undergraduate Final Project Report
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://discol.umk.edu.my/id/eprint/6856/

Sesbania grandIflora is a native plant species among the Asian country like Malaysia, India, Philippines and Indonesia. Sesbania grandiflora is consumed as source of food, medicine and utilized for traditional purposes. This study presents minerals, total carbohydrate, protein, and crude fibre of Sesbania grandiflora. Mineral contents were determined using x-ray spectrophotometer and total carbohydrates were determined by estimation using the arithmetic difference method. The protein content was determined by Kjedhal method. Soxhlet extraction was used to determine fibre content. Dry leaf and dry flower extract of S. grandiflora was evaluated for mineral compositions like potassium, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, iron and sodium. Resulted mineral composition in dry leaf are potassium (10.4 %), phosphorus (2.00 %), calcium (8.19 %), zinc (0.03%), iron (0.118 %) and sodium (66.1 %). While in dry flower, potassium (50.1 %), phosphorus (2.21 %), calcium (25.1 %), zinc (0.25 %), iron (0.96 %) and sodium (13.8%). Nutritional composition are total carbohydrate (4.77 %), protein content (20.80 %), and crude fibre (19.48 %). Conclusion, the present study prove that Sesbania grandiflora would serve as a good source of mineral, protein and fibre in the form of a leafy vegetable for human consumption.