THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF CULINARY HERBS AND LOCAL SPIES

Code No: 131376

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ABSTRACT

A comparative study was done on the physico-chemical and antioxidant properties of some culinary herbs and local spices. Piper Guiness (Uziza), Xylopia aethopica (Uda), Monodora Myristica (Ehuru) and TrtraleuraTetraopera (Oshsho). The proximate analysis of these spices were done to determine their moisture content, ash content, crude fat crude fibre and protein content. Extraction of the Oleorasin from the spices and soybean oil were done using soxhlet extraction unit with hexane as solvent. Imi of each of the Oleorasin samples of the spices was pipette into 100ml of soybean oil into four different test tubes labeled A,B, C and D. sample E contains 100ml of soybean oil with 150ppm of Butylated Hydroxyl toluene while the untreated soybean oil (sample F) was used as the control. The test-tube were shaked, plugged with cottonwood and kept at room temperature in a rack. The peroxide value of the sample were monitored for tightly for eight weeks, the thiobarbituric acid 9TBA) value were also determined on the tenth and twelfth weeks respectively. The peroxide value of the sample for the eighth week were recorded as follows: A (10), B (8) C (8), D (11), E (10) and F (22) respectively. From these results, it shows that all the spices were below the range of detectable rancidity. (i.e. between 20 to 40m Eg/kg). the thiobarbituric aid (TBA) value were recorded, for the twelfth week as follows: A (0.033), B (0.005), C (0.004), D (0.046), E (0.776) and F (2.503) respectively. Sample C Monodora Myristica (Ehuru) had the lowest Pv and TBA value, thus the best species with antioxidant property. When compared with other spices and even the artificial antioxidant, followed by sample B Xylopia aethiopica.

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Herbs and spices have long been used by ancient civilsations for culinary, medicinal and cosmetic uses. With modernization and the development of patent medicines, the use of natural cures and elixirs decrease in popularity.
Nowadays, disillusionment with synthetic drugs, artificial additives and their possible sides effects has given great rise in popularity to many natural products, be it for culinary, medical or cosmetics purposes. In line with the world wide trend for eco-consciousness, the popularity of natural cosmetic purposes. In line with the world wide trend for eco-consciousness, the popularity of natural cosmetic products, such as those sold in red earth and the body shop, attests to the current trend (Broadhurt CL, 2000).
Spices are defined as those aromatic plants and their parts, fresh or dried, whole or ground, that are primarily used to impart flavour and fragrances to foods and drink (Prosea 1986). The term is used in a wide sense and includes the culinary herbs. Spices are indispensable in the culinary art, used to create dishes that reflect the history, the culture and the geography of a country. Well-known examples are curry powder, housing live five spices powder) Pizza herbs and fines herbs (Polansky mm, 2000) spices oils and spice oleoresins are also indispensable in the food and beverages manufacturing industry, the perfumery and cosmetic industry and the pharmaceutical industry. Some spices and derivative possess antioxidant and antibiotic properties, which has increased interest in the commercial exploitation of aromatic plants for food preservation and crop protection with the growing demand natural and organic products and the increasing clamour to dispense with synthetic flavours and artificial food colouring, the future for spices seems bright.
According to Pearson 1976 herbs and spices consist of the dried leaves, flowers, buds fruits, seeds, bark or rhizomes of various plants. They are incorporated in foods only in small amounts but they make important contributions towards the odour and flavour due to the presence of the volatile oil 9essentail oil) and fixed oil, local examples include Piper guineense (Uzuza), Xylopia gethiopica (uda), Mondora myristica (Ehuru,Tretaphleura tetraptra (Oshsho) and capsicum frutescens (Ose Nsukka).