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ABSTRACT
The study was carried out to determine the yield, physical and chemical composition of Leaf Protein Concentrate (LPC) and Bagasse obtained from pawpaw leaves using three different processing methods; alum precipitation, acid coagulation and heat coagulation methods. The Leaf protein concentrate and bagasse were analyzed afterwards for some important chemical constituents (Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cl). Results of chemical analysis showed ash content of LPC using alum precipitation method (5.127%) to be significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that of heat coagulation (6.253%) and acid coagulation (7.130%) methods. The value was also lower than that of bagasse (7.35%). Crude protein of LPC using alum precipitation was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that from LPC using heat coagulation (29.75%) and acid coagulation (34.42%) methods. Bagasse crude protein was 28%. LPC from acid coagulation method was found to contain 12.10% fat, significantly (p < 0.05) higher than alum precipitation (9.27%) and heat coagulation (7.30%) methods. Bagasse also contained 5.16% fat. Analysis of minerals present in pawpaw LPC also showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in the three processing methods used, with heat coagulation method having the highest yield for all minerals analyzed. Percentage yield of pawpaw LPC using heat coagulation method (3.75%) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than alum precipitation method (2.46%) and acid coagulation method (3.49%). In essence, the LPC yield from the three processing methods ranked in value as follows; alum precipitation < acid coagulation < heat coagulation. This difference in yield was found to be statistically (p > 0.05) the same. Pawpaw leaf bagasse yield showed no significant (p > 0.05) difference for the three LPC processing methods adopted.
