Chemical and nutritional composition of two famine food sources used in Sudan, mukheit (Boscia senegalensis) and Maikah (Dobera roxburghi)

The nutritional value of seeds of mukheit (Boscia senegalensis (Pers) Lam ex Poir) and maikah (Dobera roxburghi Planch) widely used as food in times of famine in western Sudan have been investigated. The chemical composition of each food before and after the traditional debittering process is reported. Both foods compared favourably with the local staple cereals as regards the content of soluble carbohydrate and crude protein with values of 690 and 250 g kg-1 respectively for mukheit debittered by soaking in water at ambient temperature and 800 and 150 g kg-1 respectively for maikah debittered by boiling in water. The nutritional quality, of protein in mukheit debittered by soaking in water at ambient temperature appeared similar to that of sorghum but was markedly enhanced if debittering was performed by boiling, although the crude protein content of the food fell substantially during the latter procedure. The protein of debittered maikah had a chemical score of 85 indicating a quality superior to that of the local cereals. Maikah also represented an exceptionally, rich source of calcium and contained nutritionally, useful quantities of zinc.