Abstract

This study was performed to ascertain the phytochemical screening and fatty acids content in Colocasia esculenta and Glycine max flours. The samples were milled to size (25 µm) to obtain homogenous flours. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical contents were evaluated by means of standard methods, while fatty acid profiling was done using Gas Chromatography(GC). Alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, sterols, and phenols were the phytochemicals associated with Colocasia esculenta and Glycine max. Quantitative analysis for Colocasia esculenta revealed total saponins (1.56±0.13) %, total phenolic (28.58±0.03) µm/ml, total flavonoids (17.69±0.17) µm/ml and total alkaloids (4.70±0.04) %. Fatty acid profiling disclosed that Colocasia esculenta flour is rich in oleic acid (36.12 %), palmitic acid (32.97 %) and linoleic acid (14.90 %), while Glycine max flour, contains linoleic acid (53.92 %), oleic acid (20.95 %), and palmitic acid (13.25 %). Saturated fatty acids identified in this study for both samples of Colocasia esculenta and Glycine max flours which are saturated include myristic acid, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, arachidonic acid, behenic acid and lignoric acid, While, the unsaturated fatty acids identified in this study are palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, and erucic acid,. The phytochemicals and oils identified in this study have the benefit of improving heart conditions by lowering cholesterol, which has been implicated in cardiovascular damage.

Keywords: Colocasia esculenta, Glycine max, Fatty acids profile, Phytochemicals