Physical, Chemical, and Functional Characteristics of Borassus aethiopum Mart's Bâtchi or Hypocotyle Axes

Abstract

The objective of this work was to valorize the ‘bâtchï’ by evaluating its nutritional properties. Specifically, the study focused on morphological characterization, determination of nutrients content and antinutritional factors of the product and on the study of some functional properties of the flour obtained by drying, grinding and sieving the product. People in the Sahelian region of Africa consume the hypocotyle axis, which the palm tree's seed (Borassus aethiopum Mart.) produces at the beginning of germination. The goal of the current work was to investigate its physico-chemical and functional characteristics. 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. It would be wise to conduct in-depth studies aimed at describing the type of starch and fibres in bâtch as well as the nature of the anti-nutritional factors which, in some circumstances, can be beneficial. This food product is highly valued and widely consumed in the Sahelian zones of Africa.