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Nutraceuticals 2019
July 15-16, 2019
Volume 2
Journal of Food and Clinical Nutrition
Advanced Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods
July 15-16, 2019 | London, UK
World Congress on
J Food Clin Nutr, Volume 2
Evaluation of underutilized tree-crop, Ricinodendron heudelotii, as a functional feed
for nutrition and health
Michael Ezekwe
1
, Samuel A Besong
2
and
Ramon Johnson
1
1
Alcorn State University, USA
2
Delaware State University, USA
N
jangsa (Ricinodendron heudelotii), a tropical tree that grows in the forest of West and Central Africa, produces
fruits that are manually shelled to collect oil seeds and dried. Acompositional analysis of njangsa revealed a unique
nutrient presence of long chain omeg-3 fatty acids not usually associated with plant materials. The seed had 31.4% crude
protein and 44.7% lipid. Of this lipid, about 73%was composed of Poly Unsaturated FattyAcids (PUFA), almost entirely
of eicosapentaenoic acid, with about 18% oleic acid. Preliminary studies were conducted to determine if njangsa seed
meal would alter the lipid and other metabolite levels in the pig and/or improve pork quality traits. Twelve crossbred gilts
and barrows were fed corn-soybean diets containing 14% crude protein. Treatment group was supplemented with 2%
njangsa oil seed meal. Growth and carcass traits showed similar carcass characteristics (P>0.05). Backfat measurement
was reduced (P<0.05), while kidney weight was elevated (P<0.01) in treated animals. Pork sensory evaluation were not
different between the experimental groups. Oil rich supply of long chain PUFA from sources other than seafood may
provide a more sustainable source, capable of reducing children and adult obesity.
Biography
Michael Ezekwe (Ph.D.) is a professor of Animal Science and director of Swine Patent awards. He is involved in OICI-International livestock
improvement project activities in Africa. He has conducted technology transfer training workshops in Ghana, Gambia and Nigeria under the
auspices of the US AID-OICI International. He has collaborated with North-South Institute Inc.; Davie, Florida, on livestock improvement
projects in the US Virgin Islands territory and island of St. Thomas. Development Centre at Alcorn State University. He is a trained animal
nutritionist and has worked with swine, goat, and poultry in the area of feed utilization, growth and development. He is involved in human as
well as swine nutrition research projects, which are supported by USDA-NIFAandARS. He has published referred journals. He also conduct-
ed research involving vegetable purslane and waterleaf and their unique omega-3 fatty acid content. His research has earned him three U.S.
ezekwe@alcorn.edu