EVALUATION OF BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SOME GROUNDNUT VARIETIES GROWN IN ARID ZONE OF PAKISTAN

The biochemical composition and some phytochemicals in the seeds of 4 groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) varieties viz., Golden, Barri 2000, Mongphalla and Mongphalli 334 cultivated in arid zones of Pakistan, were determined. The biochemical analysis included ash, crude fat, total nitrogen, proteins and sugar contents. A statistically significant difference (p<0.05) was observed among the varieties regarding the ash, crude fat, water soluble proteins, salt soluble proteins and sugar contents. The four groundnut varieties were also found to be significantly different (p<0.05) on the basis of phytochemicals analysed including tannins (822 +/- 3.78 to 903 +/- 4.45 mg/100g), saponins (438 +/- 2.12 to 480 +/- 2.30 mg/100g), non-protein nitrogen (1.33 +/- 0.03 to 1.56 +/- 0.02 mg/100g), hydrogen cyanide (40.80 +/- 0.32 to 42.82 +/- 0.75 mg/100g), total phenolic acids (218 +/- 2.11 to 256 +/- 2.02 mg/100g), total phosphorus (700 +/- 3.62 to 889 +/- 3.84 mg/100g) and phytic acid (572 +/- 4.37 to 714 +/- 3.74 mg/100g). The results obtained from the present studies could be a source of valuable information and a guideline for the food scientists, researchers and even the nut consumers not only in Pakistan but all over the world.