Authors : Ogbonnaya Chukwu and Aminat Joy Abdul-kadir
Abstract: Established standard methods of analysis were used to determine the proximate composition of acha grains as part of their nutritional evaluation. The results showed that the lipid content and ash value of acha are higher than the reported values for most cereal grains. The protein content of acha is high compared with that of other grains. The fibre content of acha is lower than the values for sorghum and maize but higher than those for millet and rice. The caloric value of acha compares well with those for most cereals. Acha is richer in calcium, magnesium, iron and copper than most cereals but poorer in potassium, sodium, lead and manganese. With the exception of methionine the essential amino acid content of acha is lower than that for most grains while the leucine, methionine and cysteine values are slightly higher than the values in the FAO reference protein. It was concluded that acha is a cheap source of carbohydrate for man and livestock.
Ogbonnaya Chukwu and Aminat Joy Abdul-kadir , 2008. Proximate Chemical Composition of Acha (Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua) Grains. Journal of Food Technology, 6: 214-216.