Some famous local spices were selected to determine their potentials in terms of their aroma and utilization. They included Tea Bush （Ocimum basilicum）, Guinea Black Pepper （Piper guineense）, African Pepper （Xylo...Some famous local spices were selected to determine their potentials in terms of their aroma and utilization. They included Tea Bush （Ocimum basilicum）, Guinea Black Pepper （Piper guineense）, African Pepper （Xylopia aethiopica）, Alden Tree （Tetrapleura tetraptera） and the African Meg Nut or Onion Tree （Blighia unijugata）. Essential oils were extracted from the samples and used for aroma absorption test in a uv-visible spectrometer V2.03. The intensity of aroma was indicated at some peak values of absorption at particular wavelengths. The compounds responsible for the aroma at this peak values were identified by matching their wavelengths with those of known compounds at similar wavelengths of absorption. Thus, a compound such as Quinoline that has hot strong aroma and little bleaching effect was proved to be present in Guinea black pepper ;at the wavelength of 313.0 nm. Benzene with hot strong aroma and flammable effect was also indicated in this spice at the wavelength of 253.0 rim. Proximate analysis carried out showed that these spices have high nutritive values. Some of them such as Guinea black pepper, African Nutmeg and Ethiopian （African） pepper had high ether extract of 20.01, 25.97 and 31.25 respectively, and could be regarded as oil seeds, they contain much of essential oils.展开更多
文摘Some famous local spices were selected to determine their potentials in terms of their aroma and utilization. They included Tea Bush （Ocimum basilicum）, Guinea Black Pepper （Piper guineense）, African Pepper （Xylopia aethiopica）, Alden Tree （Tetrapleura tetraptera） and the African Meg Nut or Onion Tree （Blighia unijugata）. Essential oils were extracted from the samples and used for aroma absorption test in a uv-visible spectrometer V2.03. The intensity of aroma was indicated at some peak values of absorption at particular wavelengths. The compounds responsible for the aroma at this peak values were identified by matching their wavelengths with those of known compounds at similar wavelengths of absorption. Thus, a compound such as Quinoline that has hot strong aroma and little bleaching effect was proved to be present in Guinea black pepper ;at the wavelength of 313.0 nm. Benzene with hot strong aroma and flammable effect was also indicated in this spice at the wavelength of 253.0 rim. Proximate analysis carried out showed that these spices have high nutritive values. Some of them such as Guinea black pepper, African Nutmeg and Ethiopian （African） pepper had high ether extract of 20.01, 25.97 and 31.25 respectively, and could be regarded as oil seeds, they contain much of essential oils.
