+44 330 818 7254Chukwu M. O, Ibiam O. F. A and Okoi A.
Phytochemical and proximate composition of fresh and dry nuts of Cyperus esculentus (tiger nuts) was investigated. Investigated also was the fungi associated within these dry and fresh nuts. Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A terreus associed with both dry and fresh nuts, while Penicillium citrinum and Aspergillus fumigatus associated with the dry nuts. Values of minerals of the fresh and dry nuts fell within the range of 41.75 ± 1.004 - 158.49 ± 0.124 for iron (Fe), 54.77 ± 0.0877 - 22.763 ± 0.727 for zinc (Zn), 41.05 ± 0.112 - 52.35 ± 0.112 for Copper (Cu), 0.36 ± 0.0895 - 2.05 ± 0.112 for Lead (Pb), 189.05 ± 0.112 - 34.55 ± 0.112 for phosphate (Po-4), and 3343.0 ± 6.211 - 6349.45 ± 0.00 for Nitrate (NO-3), and they are in mg/100g. The nutrient values of the fresh and dry nuts fell within the range of 13.06 ± 0.0895 - 9.327 ± 0.112 for moisture 3.82 ± 1.589 - 9.69 ± 0.124 for Ash, 4.76 ± 6.12 - 3.57 ± 0.124, for Protein, 3.287 ± 4.401 -2.147 ± 0.112 for Lipid, 59.53 ± 5.667 - 65.05 ± 0.112 for carbohydrate, 25.23 ± 6.961 -10.847 ± 0.334 for fiber and 75.67 ± 5.411 - 45.78 ± 0.476 for vitamin C. The comparative analysis of the proximate composition of the nutrients in the samples of the plant, showed that with the exception of Fe, Cu, Pb, NO-3, Ash, Carbohydrate in fresh nuts, the values of Zinc (Zn), Phosphate (PO-4), moisture, protein, lipid, fibre and vitamin C were higher in the fresh nuts than that of the dry nuts.
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