Amino Acid Content Analysis of Four Varieties of African Yam Bean at Afikpo Town of Ebonyi State in Nigeria

Abstract

The amino acid content analysis of white, brown, spotted, and black coat-coloured African yam bean varieties that are cultivated in the Afikpo town of Ebonyi State in Nigeria was determined in this study. The results showed that methionine and cystine were low among the varieties of the African yam bean, with values of 1.14 % and 1.09 % respectively for the spotted variety. Most of the essential amino acids, especially lysine and methionine levels in the African yam bean are higher than in some other legumes like pigeon pea, cowpea, Bambara groundnut, and soybean. The brown variety had the lowest histidine content while the black variety had the highest content of histidine. Alanine was lowest and highest in the brown and black varieties with 3.19 % and 4.14 % values. The total non-essential amino acid ranged from 40.3 g/100cp to 41.9 g/100cp with a significant difference among the varieties. The findings suggest that the African yam bean is essential for the adequate functioning of the human body because it contains the required proportion of amino acids needed for the human body.