EVALUATION OF PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIOXIDANT VITAMINS A, C, AND E COMPOSITIONS OF CHIA SEED AND TIGER NUT PROCURED FROM NNEWI, ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Salvia hispanica (Chia Seed) also known as chia seed, is an annual herbaceous plant, originally from Southern Mexico. Chia seeds have become one of the world’s most recognizable foods based on their nutritional properties and medicinal values.Cyperus esculentus L. (Tiger Nut) is a valuable food for nourishment with significant health benefits, they are rich in vitamins and minerals. In this study, phytochemical and antioxidant vitamins A, C and E compositions of Chia Seed and Tiger nut procured from Nnewi, Anambra State were evaluated using standard methods. Phytochemical and bioactive contents of the samples were determined using Gas chromatography- flame ionization detector while antioxidant vitamins (A, C, E) were determined using Pearson method. Data obtained from the experiments were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Level of significance was set at p<0.05. The results of this study revealed that chia seed and tiger nut possess good quantity of antioxidant phytochemicals such as quercetin (6.86 ± 0.00 and 0.83 ± 0.00)ppm, nobeletin(1.21 ± 0.00 and 0.15 ± 0.00)ppm, resveratrol (0.32 ± 0.00 and 2.04 ± 0.00)ppm, vanillic acid (0.14 ± 0.00 and 18.28 ± 0.00)ppm respecvtively and antioxidant vitamins A (13.28 ± 0.02 and 25.00± 0.02)mg/l, C ( 117.65 ± 0.25 and 109.09±0.21)mg/kg and E (19.73± 0.02 and 31.49± 0.02)mg/l respectively. In conclusion,the results of this study revealed that chia seed and tiger nut possess good quantity of antioxidant phytochemicals and antioxidant vitamins and therefore could be very useful in neutralizing the free radicals normally generated in some disease conditions,hence in management of oxidative stress.