10th U6+ Consortium of African Universities International Conference

Pisum sativum (Green pea) is an exotic vegetable grown for food and contains polyphenol (called coumestrol), which protects against stomach cancer. Seeds of Pisum sativum were analyzed for proximate, antioxidant capacity, and mineral composition using standard analytical methods. The proximate analysis showed the presence of carbohydrate (51.56%), crude protein (22.18%), crude fiber (12.67%), moisture content (9.67%), ash (2.00%), and crude lipids (1.83%). The antioxidant analysis using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-pycrilhydrazil (DPPH) scavenging showed the percentage inhibitions by the green pea seeds at various concentrations of 5 mg/cm3 (46.31%), 2 mg/cm3 (63.96%), 1 mg/cm3 (79.91%), 0.5 mg/cm3 (70.92%), 0.1 mg/cm3 (68.59%) and 0.05 mg/cm3 (61.43%). The results for mineral analysis were for potassium (0.0561±0.00 g/kg), calcium (0.0028±0.00 g/kg), sodium (0.0001±0.00 g/kg), magnesium (0.3444±0.00 g/kg), iron (0.0591±0.00 g/kg), zinc (0.0570±0.00 g/kg), copper (0.0281±0.00 g/kg), and manganese (0.0175±0.00 g/kg). The high values of carbohydrate, crude protein, crude fiber, and minerals indicated the plant's potential for energy, hemoglobin production, and regulation of body toxicity. The antioxidant capacity of the plant indicated its potential to prevent oxidative damage to membranes and inactivation of enzymes caused by free radicals.