Abstract
Piper cubeba (Piperaceae) is a plant with nutritional and therapeutic properties, often used in food and in alternative medicine for preventive purposes. Although the Piper cubeba lianas are widely consumed as a spice and condiment by populations of the ‘La Mé’ region in southern Côte d'Ivoire, there is a lack of studies on their nutritional potential. The Objective of This study was assessed the nutritional values of fresh and traditionally dried Piper cubeba lianas harvested. Fresh lianas and those dried for 10 days were analysed using standard biochemical methods. Nutritive parameters were determined according to standard methods and the energy content was calculated. Food plants mineral analysis was performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometric methods. The data were statistically analysed. The results revealed a significant effect (P < 0.05) of traditional sun-drying of Piper cubeba lianas on biochemical parameters. In the sample of dried lianas, moisture content decreased (86.76 - 7.53%), the pH increased (5.68 - 6.07), carbohydrates (45.87 to 49.67%) and total sugars increased (72.94 - 75.09%), protein decreased (6.33 to 5.13%) and fibre increased (5.80 - 10.10%). The dried lianas extract of Piper cubeba had a significantly (P < 0.05), with an increase in total polyphenols (540.25 - 2615.28 mg GAE/100 g). Potassium was the main element (2.3 – 2.7 mg/100 g), followed by calcium (268.9–289.3), the levels of which were higher in the dried lianas. As conclusion These results showed that consuming dried Piper cubeba lianas as a spice and condiment provides more nutrients and bioactive compounds, which could be beneficial to consumers’ health.