CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
More than 7,000 plant species have been used as food for humans, but recent
decades have seen a small number of crops come to dominate agriculture, to the exclusion
of many others. Yet, a large number of crops that are now overlooked have the potential to
play a much more important role in sustaining livelihoods and enhancing environmental
health (Hawtin, 2007).
In Nigeria, because of population growth, there is an increasing demand for plant
products with aesthetic and organoleptic appeal in the diet. Seeds of legumes may account
for up to 80% of dietary protein and may be the only source of protein for some groups.
Their cooked forms are eaten as meals and are commonly used in fermented form as
condiments to enhance the flavours of foods. Legume condiments have been observed to
be capable of serving as tasty complements to sauces and soups and can substitute for fish
and meat (Achi, 2005). Some oil seeds, e.g. walnut, groundnut etc., are used directly as
food while some such as melon, locust bean, castor oil bean etc., are cooked and used in
preparation of soup and condiments. Most of them can be processed to obtain fat, oil cake
and meal, which could be used for preparation of livestock feeds. Several plants that yield
fruit of nutritional and dietary importance have been identified within the forest and
savannah regions. One of such important but lesser known legume protein source is the
African oil bean seed (Pentaclethra macrophylla) (Akindahunsi, 2004).
There exists a wide variety of oil crops in various parts of the country such as the
highly utilized ones like soybean, oil palm, groundnut etc. These are used for the
production of various products ranging from food to oil and industrially in the production
of soaps etc. There are also under-utilized ones like walnut, locust bean, castor oil bean,
African oil bean (Pentaclethra macrophylla), etc., which are mostly utilized only in the
areas where they grow and for limited purposes such as seasoning or snacks (Akindahunsi,
2004).
Although African oil bean seed is a popular indigenous plant in many countries in
the tropics, it is referred to as an underutilized species because of its small total economic
value in commercial production and trade compared with other crops and agricultural
commodities. It is listed among other crops as an underutilized plant ((Akindahunsi, 2004;
Enujiugha and Akanbi, 2005; Jaenicke and Höschle-Zeledon, 2006).
INTRODUCTION
More than 7,000 plant species have been used as food for humans, but recent
decades have seen a small number of crops come to dominate agriculture, to the exclusion
of many others. Yet, a large number of crops that are now overlooked have the potential to
play a much more important role in sustaining livelihoods and enhancing environmental
health (Hawtin, 2007).
In Nigeria, because of population growth, there is an increasing demand for plant
products with aesthetic and organoleptic appeal in the diet. Seeds of legumes may account
for up to 80% of dietary protein and may be the only source of protein for some groups.
Their cooked forms are eaten as meals and are commonly used in fermented form as
condiments to enhance the flavours of foods. Legume condiments have been observed to
be capable of serving as tasty complements to sauces and soups and can substitute for fish
and meat (Achi, 2005). Some oil seeds, e.g. walnut, groundnut etc., are used directly as
food while some such as melon, locust bean, castor oil bean etc., are cooked and used in
preparation of soup and condiments. Most of them can be processed to obtain fat, oil cake
and meal, which could be used for preparation of livestock feeds. Several plants that yield
fruit of nutritional and dietary importance have been identified within the forest and
savannah regions. One of such important but lesser known legume protein source is the
African oil bean seed (Pentaclethra macrophylla) (Akindahunsi, 2004).
There exists a wide variety of oil crops in various parts of the country such as the
highly utilized ones like soybean, oil palm, groundnut etc. These are used for the
production of various products ranging from food to oil and industrially in the production
of soaps etc. There are also under-utilized ones like walnut, locust bean, castor oil bean,
African oil bean (Pentaclethra macrophylla), etc., which are mostly utilized only in the
areas where they grow and for limited purposes such as seasoning or snacks (Akindahunsi,
2004).
Although African oil bean seed is a popular indigenous plant in many countries in
the tropics, it is referred to as an underutilized species because of its small total economic
value in commercial production and trade compared with other crops and agricultural
commodities. It is listed among other crops as an underutilized plant ((Akindahunsi, 2004;
Enujiugha and Akanbi, 2005; Jaenicke and Höschle-Zeledon, 2006).
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