THE EFFECT OF PROCESSING METHODS ON NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF GROUNDNUT (ARACHIS HYPOGEA)

ABSTRACT Groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea) are a valuable source of protein, fats, and essential nutrients, but their nutritional quality can be influenced by processing methods such as boiling and roasting. This study investigates the effects of these processing methods on the nutritional and anti-nutritional composition of groundnuts. Groundnut samples were processed by boiling in distilled water at 100°C for 30 minutes or roasting on a hot plate with sand, while a third sample remained unprocessed as a control. Proximate analysis was conducted to evaluate moisture, fat, protein, fiber, ash, and carbohydrate contents, while anti-nutritional factors, specifically phytate and oxalate levels, were also assessed. The findings indicate that processing significantly influenced moisture and fat content, with boiled groundnuts retaining higher moisture (8.16%) but lower fat (42.12%) compared to roasted (5.60% moisture, 45.96% fat) and unprocessed samples (7.34% moisture, 45.70% fat). Roasting preserved fat content while reducing phytate levels (0.83 ml/100 ml) more effectively than boiling (1.27 ml/100 ml) or leaving groundnuts unprocessed (1.37 ml/100 ml). However, boiling appeared to retain protein content (26.00%) slightly better than roasting (28.33%) or leaving the groundnuts raw (25.33%). Other components, including fiber, ash, carbohydrate, and oxalate, showed no statistically significant variations among the processing methods. These results suggest that boiling is beneficial for reducing anti-nutritional factors, potentially improving mineral bioavailability, while roasting enhances fat retention and reduces moisture, making it more suitable for long-term storage. This study provides insights into optimizing groundnut processing to enhance nutritional value while mitigating anti-nutritional components. Further research is recommended to explore the impact of processing conditions on bioavailability and sensory attributes.