Nutritional Composition and Anti-Nutritional Factors of Mitmiz - a Local Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Based Snack

Abstract

The study investigated nutrient contents and anti-nutritional properties of mitmiz, which is a groundnut-based snack produced from milled groundnut and boiled granulated sugar. Seven different samples of mitmiz used for this study were purchased from seven different regular producers/sellers in Gashua, Yobe state while the sample prepared in laboratory served as the control sample. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in ash, crude fibre, calcium and iron content of mitmiz with the values of proximate composition ranging from 4.33 - 6.05%, 1.98 - 2.35%, 21.50 - 23.31%, 44.29 - 47.80%, 3.30 - 3.55% and 19.12 – 21.10% for moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre and carbohydrate respectively while the values of mineral contents ranging from 1365.75 - 1404.68 mg/100g, 26.68 - 31.50 mg/100g, 300.32 - 316.50 mg/100g, 43.10 - 51.28 mg/100g, 870.56 - 884.28 mg/100g, 2.38 - 2.59 mg/100g and 3.36 - 3.46 mg/100g for potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iron and zinc respectively. Also, there were no significant differences (p>0.05) in the values of vitamin contents which ranging from 7.40 - 8.03 mg/100g, 2.00 - 2.31 mg/100g, 2.24 - 2.44 mg/100g, 3.21 - 4.17 mg/100g and 1.80 - 1.97 mg/100g for niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin E and folate respectively. The study showed that mitmiz has high nutritional composition and low anti-nutritional properties. Thus, mitmiz could be a cheap source of nutrients and its consumption could lead to reduction in malnutrition and other diet-related diseases which are pandemic in developing countries.