Abstract:
This study was to evaluate nutritional quality of Irvingia malayana Olive. Seed. It was studied by chemical and biological assay. It was found that dried kernel of Irvingia malayana Oliv. Seed was composed of 13.6% protein, 60.4% fat, 3.9% crude fiber, 2.1% ash and 20.1% soluble carbohydrate and provided 543 kilocalories per 100 grams. Crude fat was composed of 96.98% saturated fatty acid, mainly lauric and myristic; 0.35% linoleic acid and 0.54% unsaponifiable matters, which were 0.5% cholesterol and 95.5% phytosterol, mainly B-sitosterol and stigmasterol. Potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, manganese and zinc, except iron, copper and sodium were found as high as 6.01, 2.08, 1.91, 1.21, 0.08 and 0.03 milligram per gram of the dried kernel respectively, niacin, vitamin B1 and B2 were available at 0.52, 0.12 and 0.04 milligram per 100 grams of the dried kernel. Only vitamin E was detectable at 3.07 International Units per gram of the dried kernel and no vitamin A. There were 27.7% protein in its meal. Lysine was the first limiting amino acid. Amino acid score (AAS) of the protein was 65.9. Comparing with casein, correct Protein Efficiency Ratio (cPER) was 1.59, Relative Net Protein Ratio (RNPR) in 10 and 14 days were 80.07 and 64.91 respectively, Biological Value (BV) was 97.45, True Digestibility (TD) was 67.82 and Net Protein Utilization (NPU) was 66.04 Although the protein and fat in dried kernel were found to be high in quantity, but the qualities were poor in standard sense. Due to limit presence of vitamins: A, B1, B2 and niacin; essential mineral : iron and copper, made the kernel low in nutritive value. So lysine, vitamins and minerals must be added if the kernel will be used as animal feed.