CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION AND FATTY-ACID PROFILES OF CEREALS IN NIGERIA

Proximate composition, mineral and fatty acid contents of the major cereal grains (sorghum, millet, maize and rice) all cultivated in Iree, Oyo State, Nigeria, have been investigated. The water, oil, ash, protein and carbohydrate contents were in the ranges 9.4-11.0%, 0.3-4.9%, 0.8-2.6%, 6.5-10.9% and 70.7-82.4%, respectively. Potassium, phosphorus and magnesium were the richest minerals, concentrations varying from 325-450 mg/100 g for potassium, through 180-390 mg/100 g for phosphorus to 60-195 mg/100 g sample for magnesium. Calcium, sodium, manganese, iron, copper and zinc had much lower concentrations. Stearic, oleic and linoleic were the most abundant fatty acids in every sample. All the cereal grains had high degrees of unsaturation (between 75.8% and 86.4%) and high quantities of essential fatty acids. Sorghum had the highest protein and essential fatty acid contents.