Proximate Analysis of Kumara and other Plants


Several kumara and other samples have been analysed for their constituent food values. NB: a dash (-) indicates analysis not carried out.

Kumara Results By Dry Weight %

NDF=Neutral Detergent Fibre
ADF=Acid Detergnt Fibre

Sample       AK1002   AK1003  AK1004  AL451   AL452   AL453    AL454  AL457  
kJ/g         16.713   16.689  16.800 17.006  16.955  16.739   16.891  18.65
kcal/100g       399      399     402    406     405     400      404    571
NDF               -        -       -      -       -       -        -  35.37
ADF               -        -       -      -       -       -        -  18.64
Soluble Carb      -    75.32       -      -       -       -        -  31.32
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ash            3.82     3.25    3.67  3.70    4.18    4.13    3.39     8.62
Fat            0.93     0.86    0.81  0.97    0.73    0.62    0.59        -
Protein        5.40     4.16    5.25  6.48    7.77    8.78    5.68     9.44
Starch            -    66.10       - 70.70   71.30   66.70   69.90    30.50
Glucose           -     0.62       -     -       -       -       -     0.96
Fructose          -     0.58       -     -       -       -       -     0.88
Sucrose           -     0.51       -     -       -       -       -     0.67
Lignin            -     0.58       -     -       -       -       -    11.70
Hemicellulose     -     5.31       -     -       -       -       -    16.73
Cellulose         -     1.96       -     -       -       -       -     6.93
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total             -    83.93       -     -       -       -       -    86.43


Kumara Results By Wet Weight %

Sample       AK1002     AK1003   AK1004     AL451  AL452  AL453  AL454  AL457
kJ/g          3.894      3.782    4.431     5.882  4.963  5.068  5.304      -  
kcal/100g        93         90      106       141    119    121    127      -
NDF               -          -       -          -      -      -      -  35.37
ADF               -          -       -          -      -      -      -  18.64
Soluble Carb      -          -       -          -      -      -      -  31.32
Dry Matter    23.30      22.66    26.37     34.59  29.27  30.28  31.40  64.65
Water         76.70      77.34    73.63     65.41  70.73  69.72  68.60  35.35
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ash           0.891      0.737    0.967     1.28   1.22   1.25    1.06      -
Fat            0.22       0.20     0.21     0.34   0.21   0.19    0.19      -
Protein        1.26       0.94     1.39     2.24   2.27   2.66    1.78      -
Starch            -      14.98        -     24.5   20.9   20.2    22.0      -
Glucose           -       0.14        -        -      -      -       -      -
Fructose          -       0.13        -        -      -      -       -      -
Sucrose           -       0.12        -        -      -      -       -      -
Lignin            -          -        -        -      -      -       -      -
Hemicellulose     -          -        -        -      -      -       -      -
Cellulose         -          -        -        -      -      -       -      -
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total             -          -        -        -      -      -       -      -



For comparison, some results reported by the US Department 
of Agriculture for raw sweet potato are (g/100g):
  
Water         72.84
kJ              439
kcal            105
Ash            0.95
Fat             0.3
Carbohydrate  24.28   (by difference)
Fibre             3


Some results for Fern root are as follows: Fern Root Results By Dry Weight % Sample AK1005 kJ/g 17.174 kcal/100g 410 ------------------- Ash 6.12 Fat 0.39 Protein 4.29 Starch 32.3 Glucose 3.7 Fructose 2.8 Sucrose 4.4 Lignin 17.86 Hemicellulose 10.42 Cellulose 16.52 ------------------- Total 98.80 Fern Root Results By Wet Weight % Sample AK1005 kJ/g 4.505 kcal/100g 108 ------------------- Dry Matter 26.23 Ash 1.605 Fat 0.10 Protein 1.13 Starch 8.47 Glucose 1.0 Fructose 0.7 Sucrose 1.2 Lignin 4.69 Hemicellulose 2.73 Cellulose 4.34 ------------------- Total 52.195
Fern Root Starch Values throughout the Year Sample Month Starch % (Dry Weight) AK1005 May 32.3 AL133 Jun 22.6 AL134 Jul 12.9 AL135 Aug 19.9 AL136 Sep 21.1 AL447 Oct 8.26 AL159 Nov 9.64 AL448 Dec 13.98 AL445 Jan 0.32 AL446 Feb 0.15 AL449 Mar - AL458 Apr -
Karaka Kernel Results By Dry Weight % Sample - kJ/g 19.839 kcal/100g 474 ------------------- Dry Matter 56.63 ------------------- Ash 2.64 Fat 11.96 Protein 20.33 Starch 45.21 Glucose - Fructose - Sucrose - Lignin - Hemicellulose - Cellulose - ------------------- Total 80.14 Karaka Kernel Results by Dry Weight, Fatty Acid profile mg/g C10:0 1.4 C14:0 0.1 Myristic (C14:1?) 5.2-6.2 Myristoleic C16:0 9.6 Palmitic C18:0 2.8 Stearic C18:1 18.6 Oleic C18:2 35.2 Linoleic C18:3 2.6 Linolenic (C20:4?) 0.6 Arachidonic (C22:0 ?) 0.5 Arachidic Saturated 14.5 Monounsaturated 23.8-24.9 Polyunsturated 38.3 n6 35.2 n3 2.6 Total 77.4 mg/g

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