Seeds of okra were ground by five techniques, extracted with water, and filtered to yield a milk-like emulsion. Proteins and oils were precipitated with six substances at 80°C. Two precipitating agents were tested at live concentrations. The curd was filtered from the whey, washed, pressed, tasted, and then analyzed for oil, protein, and gossypol contents. The highest yield of curd was obtained from seeds soaked 20 hr in water and then ground in a household blender. Six techniques all resulted in satisfactory precipitation of protein, but the best quality curd was obtained by precipitation with lime juice. Variations in concentration of precipitating agent affected protein, oil, and gossypol contents. A higher percentage of the oil of the original sample was recovered in the curd than the percentage recovered of the protein. Gossypol content of the curd was much higher than that of the entire seed. Okra seed curd is an attractive food that can be prepared with home-scale techniques or by largescale processing.
S U M M A R YThe yellow flesh of Dwscorea cayenensis, a principal yam of Africa, was found to contain xanthophyll esters as the principal pigments. These included neoxanthin, violaxanthin and auroxanthin. In addition ,&carotene, or pro-vitamin A was found in small quantities. Measurements show that D. cayenemis is a fair source of this nutrient.
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