ABSTRACT
The study was carried out to determine the yield and chemical composition of leaf protein concentrates and bagasse obtained from Citrus aurantifolia leaves using three different methods. The extraction was done using heat coagulation, acid coagulation and alum precipitation methods, after which the leaf protein concentrates and bagasse obtained were analysed for some chemical compositions. From the results obtained, the yields from the three methods are 6.55%, 3.95% and 4.44% for heat coagulation, alum precipitation and acid coagulation method respectively. This means that for every 100kg dry matter of Lime leaf, an average of 6.55kg, 3.95kg and 4.44kg of Lime leaf protein concentrate will be produced for heat coagulation, alum precipitation and acid coagulation methods respectively. From the chemical analysis, Heat coagulation has the highest amount of Crude Fibre while Alum had the least. For Ash, alum had the highest amount. From the chemical analysis, CP and EE of the LPC from acid coagulation was better than that of the LPC obtained using alum precipitation and heat coagulation while that of the bagasse was quite lower than both the LPC obtained from heat coagulation, acid coagulation and alum precipitation (p<0.05). The ASH and CF of the LPC obtained from alum coagulation was lower than those found in the LPC obtained by heat coagulation and acid coagulation but the CF and Ash of bagasse was higher in Ash and lower in CF than both the CF and Ash found in LPC from heat coagulation, acid coagulation as well as alum precipitation. The NFE of the LPC from bagasse method is higher than both the NFE from heat coagulation, acid coagulation method and the NFE from alum precipitation. The minerals, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus were higher in LPC from heat coagulation than was found in LPC from alum precipitation and acid coagulation. From the results, Lime leaf protein concentrates obtained using heat coagulation and acid coagulation should be adopted because more Crude Protein (CP), Calcium (Ca), Potassium (K), Magnesuim (Mg) and Phosphorus were obtained through this method.
