Mineral composition

This study examined the proximate chemical composition (nutritive values, minerals composition and the industrial application of African Locust bean properly known as Iru in South West, Nigeria. Locust bean fruit is normally processed into food condiment, which is popularly taken in the western part of Africa and it is used as a spice that gives an African meal a pleasant flavor. Processing locust beans to the condiment (Iru) include boiling for 12 hours. Soaking the seeds in water, dehulling, boiling for another 6 hours and ferment for 3 – 4 days. It contains about 14 – 3% water, 25.4% protein, 1.5% fat, 7.1% fibre, 3.2% fibre and 48.5% carbohydrate. Processing of locust beans is faced with poor packaging problem and this paper reviews the scientific way of packaging which would make the condiment much more attractive to its consumer and non-consumers. Morever, apart from being used as spice that give African meal a pleasant flavor, it should be substituted in place of Menosodium Glutamate (MSG) used industrially for the production of various maggis and flavourants as its chemical is concinogene while locust bean has health side effect.