title: Effects of processing on protein nutritive quality of coconut Cocos nucifera products.
abstract: Pared, comminuted and blanched coconut meat was freeze-dried at 25 degrees C for 24 hours and pulverized. Whole coconut meal was solvent extracted with n-hexane to yield a defatted meal while full-fat coconut protein concentrate (FFC-PC) containing 27.60% protein was prepared by alkali extraction of undefatted meal followed by isoelectric precipitation. Defatted coconut meal had a significantly (p < or = 0.05) lower crude fat but higher protein content than whole coconut meal. Similarly, FFC-PC had a significantly (p < or = 0.05) higher protein but lower carbohydrate content than whole coconut meal and defatted coconut meal. Whole coconut meal, defatted coconut meal and FFC-PC had PERs of 1.98, 2.18 and 2.48 respectively, with NPRs of 2.86, 3.28 and 3.92, respectively. Protein digestibility values of 88.75%, 89.30% and 94.02% were obtained for whole coconut meal, defatted coconut meal and full-fat coconut protein concentrate, respectively. Growth response of animals showed that FPC-PC was superior to all other test diets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, PMB 5080, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Mepba
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Achinewhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003059:Cocos / Q000737:chemistry*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards*; D004063:Digestion; D005504:Food Analysis; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005525:Food-Processing Industry / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D009753:Nutritive Value; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000592:standards*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins