EFFECT OF SOAKING AND FERMENTATION ON THE PROXIMATE COMPOSITION, LEVELS OF ANTI NUTRITIONAL FACTORS, OIL QUALITY AND MINERAL ELEMENTS COMPOSITION OF CASTOR.

A study to evaluate the effect of soaking and fermentation on the proximate composition, levels of reduction of anti-nutritional factors, oil quality and mineral element composition of castor seeds, was conducted. Results of the proximate analysis indicated that the crude fibre, crude protein, ether extract and ash content were significantly (p< 0.05) lower in processed castor seeds than the raw and amongst the processed, crude fibre and ash were significantly (p< 0.05)  lower in the fermented samples than the soaked. However, crude protein, nitrogen free extract (NFE) were significantly (p< 0.05) higher in fermented samples than the soaked samples, and NFE were higher in processed samples than the raw. Levels of phytates, tannins, saponnins and cyanide were significantly (p< 0.05) reduced by processing and amongst processed samples, fermented ones were lowest than soaked ones. Soaking gave a % reduction of 48.08, 32.24, 25.30 and 75.34 of phytates, tannins, saponin and cyanide, respectively while fermentation gave % reduction of 60.57, 71.23, 52.38 and 82.72 of phytate, tannins, saponin and cyanide, respectively. Result of the oil quality shows that peroxide value is significantly (p< 0.05) higher in fermented seeds than soaked and raw. Acid value, saponification number and free fatty acids (FFA) were significantly (p< 0.05) higher in the raw seeds compared to processed, while saponification and ester number were lowest in fermented seeds than soaked. Results from the study indicated that fermentation is a better processing method for castor seeds in terms of proximate composition and reduction of levels of ant-nutritional factors as well as enhancement of oil quality