Author:
Aminu Muhammad, Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim, and Salisu Abubakar

Doi: 10.26480/faer.02.2024.88.91

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Evaluation of anti-nutrient and toxic substances in tuber crops is crucial for nutritional studies, establishing baseline concentrations of cyanide, nitrate, phytate, and oxalate in human foods. Quantitative analysis was conducted on selected tuber crops namely Dioscorea alata (Cassava), Manihot esculenta (Yam), Xanthosoma sagittifolium (coco yam), Solanum tuberosum (Irish potato), and Ipomoea batatas (Sweet potato), commonly consumed in Doko, Niger State, Nigeria. Cyanide and nitrate concentrations were determined using colorimetric methods, while phytate and oxalate were measured using titrimetric methods. Results indicate that cyanide levels in most tuber crops were within the permissible limit of 200 mg/kg fresh weight, except for Manihot esculenta and Ipomoea batatas, which exceeded this limit. Nitrate concentrations across all samples were within tolerable levels. Phytate content ranged from 1.27±0.02 to 2.17±0.13 mg/100g, with yam and cocoyam showing the lowest and highest concentrations, respectively. Oxalate mean values varied among Dioscorea alata, Manihot esculenta, Xanthosoma sagittifolium, Solanum tuberosum, and Ipomoea batatas. The study underscores the nutritional benefits of tuber crops while highlighting the presence of inherent antinutrients and toxic substances. Proper processing methods are essential to mitigate potential health risks associated with their consumption.