AN APPRAISAL OF PROTEIN FRACTION AND NUTRACEUTICAL BENEFITS OF SOME COMMONLY CONSUMED LEGUMES IN EASTERN NIGERIA

To document for the populace the nutritional values of the five most consumed legumes in Eastern Nigeria, the protein fractions (albumin, globulin, prolamin, and glutelin fractions) of Voandzeia geocarpa (Okpa), Phaseolus coccineus (Akidi), Cajanus cajan (Fiofio/agbugbu), Phseolus multifarious (Ozaki/azam) and Vigna unguiculate (Beans) are assayed. The Biuret reagent spectrophotometric method was followed using bovine serum albumin (30%) as a standard. The result reveals that C. cajan, ranked the best of all the legumes appraised followed by V. geocarpa, P. coccineus, P. multifarious, and V. unguiculate. V. unguiculate, P. multifarious and V. geocarpa are richer in albumin while C. cajan and V. geocarpa are rich in globulin. Based on the nutritional and medicinal richness of these legumes, there is need to encourage the people to increase their consumption to compensate for animal protein deficiency in diet menu of average Eastern Nigerian family.