Bromatological analysis of papachina flour (Colocasia esculenta): a high protein and nutritional alternative for Biogeographical Chocó families

Abstract

The conservation of food plant species and the transformation of prime material constitute a sustainable alternative for the development of the communities in the municipality of Guapi, Cauca, Colombia. The nutritional composition of Colocasia esculenta flour was examined to know a little more about its physicochemical characteristics through the evaluation of variables such as protein, moisture, crude fiber, ash, lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose levels. The results revealed that C. esculenta flour has a high content of protein (27.2 g/kg), moisture (43.1 g/kg), crude fiber (52.7 g/kg), ash (23.0 g/kg), lignin (12.8 g/kg), cellulose (7.9 g/kg) and hemicellulose (536 g/kg), values that are considered higher than those found in the flour of other tubers such as potato, yam and yucca. The finding of high nutritional contents rich in proteins and minerals in C. esculenta makes it a very healthy food, even more than others that have commercialization capacity in the market, added to this, its physicochemical characteristics, as well as its mineral profile, allow suggesting the use of the flour for the development of products for human consumption (breads, cookies, among others), as well as animal, partially substituting flours of inputs not produced in Colombia.