COOKING CHARACTERISTICS OF FOUR CULTIVARS OF BAMBARA GROUNDNUTS SEEDS AND STARCH ISOLATE

The proximate composition and textural changes during the cooking of four bambara groundnut (Voandzeia subterranea) seed cultivars were evaluated. Bambara groundnut seeds contained 18–21% protein 6–8% fat, 8–10% moisture and 1.2–2.6% ash. Changes in hardness in relation to cooking time was monitored for 2 h. The cooking time for softening was shorter for the cream and brown colored cultivars than for the red black colored cultivars. The swelling and viscosity properties of starch isolates prepared form the seeds were studied. There were no varietal differences (p≤0.05) in starch viscosity and swelling properties among cultivars. Estimation of tannin content of bambara groundnut seeds showed that tannin contents of the red and black seed cultivars (0.96% and 1.1%, respectively) were significantly higher (p≤0.05) than the tannin contents of cream and brown seed cultivars (0.68% and 0.72%, respectively).