article · International Journal of Biochemistry Research & Review
Laboratory analysis of three local Citrullus mucosospermus varieties, namely Bebu, Wlêwlê Petit, and Wlêwlê Grand, collected from Haut-Sassandra, Côte d'Ivoire, reveals distinct biochemical and nutritional profiles. All varieties demonstrated substantial nutrient levels, with dry matter between 96.40 and 97.13 per cent, protein ranging from 31.67 to 32.49 per cent, and fat content spanning 41.46 to 54.82 per cent. Carbohydrate levels varied from 12.74 to 28.02 per cent. The Wlêwlê Petit variety exhibited the highest energy value at 734.97 kilocalories per 100 grams, along with the highest protein and magnesium concentrations. Wlêwlê Grand contained the greatest amounts of calcium and sodium, whilst Bebu showed the highest levels of phosphorus, potassium, polyphenols, and tannins. These findings indicate that the three seed varieties offer notable nutritional potential for food applications, breeding programmes, and agri-food development.
Understanding the precise nutritional and biochemical profiles of local seed varieties helps identify valuable genetic resources for addressing food security. High levels of proteins, fats, and essential minerals make these indigenous seeds important candidates for enriching human diets, supporting regional agriculture, and guiding crop breeding programmes in Côte d'Ivoire and similar agro-ecological settings.
This work represents early-stage laboratory research demonstrating the nutritional composition of Citrullus mucosospermus seeds for food product formulation. Potential end users include agri-food processors seeking protein-rich or oil-rich flour ingredients, as well as plant breeders selecting varieties for targeted nutritional traits. Real-world commercial use remains distant, as the abstract evaluates basic biochemical properties without testing processing scalability, shelf life, or consumer product formulations.
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The aim of this study was to characterise the biochemical and nutritional composition of three local varieties of Citrullus mucosospermus Fursa (Bebu, Wlêwlê Petit and Wlêwlê Grand) grown in the Haut-Sassandra region of Côte d’Ivoire, in order to assess their potential for use in food products. This was an experimental study carried out in the laboratory using seeds collected in Daloa (Haut-Sassandra, Côte d’Ivoire). The seeds were dried, ground into flour and then analysed in triplicate. Dry matter, ash, protein, lipid, carbohydrate, total sugar, reducing sugar, pH, mineral elements (Ca, Mg, P, Na and K) and bioactive compounds (total polyphenols, flavonoids, total tannins and condensed tannins), were determined using standardised AOAC methods and spectrophotometric techniques. The data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the means were compared at a significance level of P < 0.05. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed between the three varieties for most of the parameters studied. Dry matter ranged from 96.40 to 97.13 per cent, protein from 31.67 to 32.49 per cent, fat from 41.46 to 54.82 per cent and total carbohydrates from 12.74 to 28.02 per cent. The Wlêwlê Petit variety had the highest energy value (734.97 kcal/100 g) as well as the highest protein content (32.49 per cent) and magnesium content (345.39 mg/100 g). Wlêwlê Grand had the highest calcium (756.41 mg/100 g) and sodium (15.95 mg/100 g) contents, whilst Bebu had the highest phosphorus (69.78 mg/100 g), potassium (252.24 mg/100 g), total polyphenols (0.102 per cent) and total tannins (144.56 mg/100 g). These results indicate that all three varieties possess high nutritional value and represent promising plant genetic resources for food security, genetic improvement and agri-food development in Côte d’Ivoire.
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DOI: 10.9734/ijbcrr/2026/v35i51156
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