Fatty acid composition of six varieties of dehulled African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) flour.

The proximate and fatty acids compositions of dehulled African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa, Hochst ex A. Rich. Harms) flour were reported. The crude protein values ranged from 20.18 +/- 0.02 to 25.78 +/- 0.05 g/100 g; the ether extract values ranged from 1.93 +/- 0.05 to 10.18 +/- 0.04 g/100 g; crude fibre values ranged from 1.61 +/- 0.02 to 2.38 +/- 0.00 g/100 g; total ash ranged from 2.06 +/- 0.03 to 2.36 +/- 0.05 g/100 g and carbohydrate values ranged from 58.46 +/- 0.04 to 63.34 +/- 0.05 g/100 g. The values of the moisture content ranged from 3.20 +/- 0.03 to 7.10 +/- 0.02 g/100 g. Significant differences were found (P < 0.05) among the samples in the proximate compositions. The most concentrated fatty acids were palmitic acid (18.18 to 19.78%) < linoleic acid (28.33 to 35.16%) < stearic acid (29.01 to 36.71%). Caprylic, capric, lauric, myristic, palmitoleic, oleic, eicosenoic and erucic acids were present in small quantities with none of them recording up to 2.00% in any of the samples. However, the values of alpha-linolenic acid ranged from 2.01 to 2.96%. Significant differences were observed in the fatty acid compositions among the African yam bean dehulled seed cultivars.