Abstract

The seed of the palm tree (Borassus aethiopum Mart.) at the beginning of its germination gives a hypocotyle axis which is consumed boiled or roasted by the populations of the Sahelian part of Africa. This present work was carried out to study its physico-chemical and functional properties. To this effect, macronutrients, minerals, anti-nutritional factors as well as some functional properties were evaluated on the dry powder of the seeds. The results obtained showed that the dry matter (DM) was 92.53 ± 0.89%. The total lipid content (10.73 ± 0.00 g/100 g DM) was important and higher than that of other roots and tubers. Total and soluble sugars represented 39.98 ± 0.20 and 2.72 ± 0.19 g/100 g DM respectively. The total starch content was 35. 23 ± 0.50 g/100 g DM, with resisting and digestible starch representing respectively 20.27 ± 0.24 g/100 g DM and 7.44 ± 0.38 g/100 g DM. The fibers content was 6.10 ± 0.22 g/100 g DM. Total ash represented 2.68 ± 0.04 g/100 g DM with: Total phosphorous (129.66 ± 3.26 mg/100 g of DM), calcium (119.48 ± 0.45 mg/100 g of DM), sodium (784.4 ± 18.16 mg/100 g of DM). The anti-nutritional factors contents were: Phenolic compounds (275.75 ± 53.54 mg/100 g DM); Tanins (239.76 ± 30.09 mg/100 g DM), Phytates (87.88 ± 19.59 mg/100 g DM) and Oxalates (0.98 ± 0.05 mg/100 g ms). The analyzes carried out on the functional properties of the hypocotyle axes revealed that the water absorption capacity, the index of solubility, the gelifying power and the time of gelification were 272.99 ± 15.13%, 31.83 ± 1.28%, 13% and 12 min respectively.

Key words: Hypocotyls (bâtchi), Borassus aethiopum, physicochemical properties, functional properties, Cameroon.