Project Abstract

Abstract
Mucuna pruriens var. utilis, commonly referred to as velvet bean, is a leguminous plant known for its medicinal and nutritional properties. The seeds of this plant contain a significant amount of oil, which has potential applications in various industries. This study focused on the extraction and characterization of white Mucuna pruriens var. utilis seed oil to assess its quality and potential uses. The oil was extracted from the seeds using a solvent extraction method, followed by characterization using various analytical techniques. The physicochemical properties of the extracted oil, including its appearance, color, odor, and taste, were evaluated. The oil yield, moisture content, acid value, iodine value, saponification value, and unsaponifiable matter were determined to assess the quality of the extracted oil. The results indicated that the white Mucuna pruriens var. utilis seed oil had a pale yellow color and a neutral odor. The oil yield was found to be within the typical range for oilseeds, and the moisture content was relatively low, indicating good stability. The acid value, iodine value, and saponification value were determined to assess the oil's chemical composition and stability. The acid value provides information about the free fatty acid content, while the iodine value indicates the degree of unsaturation in the oil. The saponification value is a measure of the average molecular weight of the fatty acids present in the oil. Furthermore, the unsaponifiable matter content in the oil was analyzed to determine the presence of non-triglyceride components such as sterols, tocopherols, and hydrocarbons. These components can have beneficial effects on human health and contribute to the oil's stability. Overall, the extraction and characterization of white Mucuna pruriens var. utilis seed oil revealed promising results in terms of its quality and potential applications. The oil showed desirable physicochemical properties and chemical composition, making it suitable for use in various industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Further studies on the bioactive components and potential health benefits of the oil could provide valuable insights for its commercial utilization and industrial applications.

Project Overview

In our world today, the geometric increase of the population has raised alarming concerns on the food security to sustain the teeming population (Sridhar, 2007). The worse hit is developing countries in Africa, especially Nigeria that still lacks the capacity to manage food production tasks arising from the current global warming and other environmental changes. The few food products usually lack adequate proteins, essential fatty acids and vitamins leading to the common form of malnutrition in individuals.

Interestingly, unconventional legumes are promising in terms of nutrition, provisions of food security, agricultural development and in crop rotation in developing countries (Sridhar, 2007). The wild legume varieties have different quantities of protein, carbohydrates, fiber, lipid/fatty acids and minerals.

Mucuna pruriens var.utilis is a tropical legume of the family Fabaceae and genus Mucuna. Some of its common names are Agbara (Igbo), Yerepe (Yoruba), Mauritius bean, cow itch, cow hage, Jackbohne (German). Velvet bean is an annual perennial, herbaceous, vigorous climbing vine that growso 3-18cm in height. It is indigenous of the tropical regions especially Africa, India and the West Indies. Its pods are sigmoid, turgid, longitudinally ribbed and always clustered on the stem and the pods are covered with reddish-orange hairs that dislodge readily causing intense irritation on the skin. The pods contain seeds that are black or white (Siddhuraju, 2000; Leslie, 2005; Sridhar, 2007).

The oil contents of Mucuna seed may be edible and consist of different fatty acid which is a characteristic identify of most oil seeds. The chemical composition of an oil extract gives a qualitative identification of such oil in selection of areas while it can be applied or utilized despite differences in processing and extraction of the oil (Ofoegbu, – 2006).

The aim of this work thus is to extract the oil from the white seeds of Mucuna pruriens var. utilis, characterize it and determine the applicability, based on the quantities, in industries such beverage, pharmaceutical and/or soap manufacturing.

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

This work was inspired by the need to find alternative sources of good oils for human utilization in industries.

1.3 SCOPE OF WORK

This work is intended:

(1)     To determine the percentage of oil content of white seeds of Mucuna pruriens var.utilis

(2)     To determine the moisture contents of the seeds used

(3)     To characterize, by obtaining the physio-chemical properties of the oil

(4)     To suggest possible industry the oil can be utilized based on the results and the information provided in literature on oils