Title : Typology of consumption of Vigna unguiculata and nutritional potential
Abstract:
Climate change remains a current and growing threat to food security and nutrition in Africa. There are many responses to this for the sustainable resilience of populations. To this end, legumes, which represent an important part of the human diet, can play an important role. The present study seeks to determine the forms of consumption of Vigna unguculata and to associate them with the availability of nutrients in order to justify an appropriate response to the consequences of thermal and water constraints. To do this, a consumption survey was carried out and the determination of proteins, minerals and phytates was carried out. The study found that the fruit of V. unguculata is eaten at two early stages of maturity called "Niar 1 and Niar 2". Indeed, at these stages their protein content is close to that of mature cowpea (21.31 and 28.32 g/100g). Phosphorus remains the most abundant: 971 mg/100g for "Niar 2" and 794 and 794 mg/100g for dry cowpeas. At the "Niar2" stage, iron reaches a value of 65 mg/100g. However, the phytate content is lower than in mature cowpeas (739.69-781.69 mg/100 g at the early stages compared to 834.56 mg/100g at the mature stage). The study shows that in case of water stress, early consumption of cowpea can be a response. At this stage, the pods contain less phytates and reach a nutritional potential close to the dry ripe form.
Keywords: Vigna unguiculata, phytates, proteins, minerals
