The importance of utilizing oilseeds as complementary nutrient sources for human
consumption has received considerable attention in recent years. There exists wide
varieties of oil crops including sesame seed (
Sesamum indicum
L.), which are
reported in literature to be rich in oil and nutrients; however, the presence of anti
nutritional factors limits its uses. Processing grain using fermentation results in
enhanced nutrition, stabilization of original raw materials, and detoxification of anti
nutritional factors. There was lack of adequate traditional fermentation containers
hence the need for use of some modern containers. This work, therefore, studied the
effects of using banana leaf and plastic (high density polyethylene) bowl as containers
for fermentation on the nutrients and anti nutritional factors of sesame seed. Samples
were fermented separately using banana leaf and plastic bowl for seven days at
temperature of 35 ± 2°C. Samples were drawn at intervals during fermentation to
determine proximate composition, elemental concentrations and anti-nutritional
factors concentrations using standard procedures. The pH decreased in the first 5 days
and then increased as fermentation progressed coupled with a consistent rise in
titratable acidity. Proximate analysis showed an increase in ash and crude fat contents
with corresponding decrease in the carbohydrate and protein contents during
fermentation. Protein ranged between 15.25% and 15.37% in banana leaf and plastic
bowl respectively, compared to raw seed (26.20%). Fat increased from 51.02% in raw
sesame to 60.20% and 59.33% in banana leaf and plastic bowl, respectively.
However, fermented samples obtained from the plastic bowl had higher vitamin
(thiamine and riboflavin) and minerals (calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium,
iron, selenium, zinc and manganese) in comparison to samples fermented in banana
leaf. Fermentation in banana leaf and plastic bowl significantly reduced oxalate
content of raw sesame by 35.40% and 29.12% respectively. In addition, phytate
content was significantly reduced by 36.37% and 34.43% respectively. The present
study showed that fermentation container had significant effect on nutritional
composition during the fermentation of sesame seed.
