Antioxidant activities, nutritional composition, and functional properties of traditionally fermented African locust bean condiment (dawadawa) from Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Dawadawa, a protein-rich fermented condiment from African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa), is widely consumed in Nigeria, but its bioactive compound content and nutritional profile from North-Central regions remain poorly documented. This study represents the first comprehensive characterization of antioxidant activities, nutritional composition, and functional properties of traditionally fermented Dawadawa from North-Central Nigeria (Kogi State), revealing significant location-based differences in quality parameters.

Methods: Thirty Dawadawa samples were collected from three local government areas in Kogi State (Anyigba, Dekina, and Ankpa) between June and August 2025. Antioxidant activities were evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays at an extract concentration of 1.0 mg/mL. Total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin contents were determined spectrophotometrically using validated standard curves. Proximate composition, amino acid profile, and mineral content were analyzed using AOAC methods. Functional properties, including water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, and bulk density, were assessed.

Results: Dawadawa extracts exhibited significant antioxidant activities with DPPH radical scavenging capacity of 68.4-79.6%, ABTS radical scavenging of 71.2-82.5%, and FRAP values of 156.3-234.7 µM FE/g. Total phenolic content ranged from 42.8-58.3 mg GAE/g, total flavonoids from 18.4-29.6 mg QE/g, and tannins from 8.4-14.2 mg TAE/g. Strong positive correlations were observed between phenolic content and antioxidant activities (r = 0.82 for DPPH and r = 0.86 for FRAP). Proximate analysis revealed protein content of 35.2-42.7%, crude fat of 12.8-18.4%, crude fiber of 8.4-11.6%, and ash of 4.2-6.8%. Amino acid profiling identified seventeen amino acids with essential amino acid composition meeting FAO/WHO requirements. Mineral analysis showed high levels of calcium (184.6-246.8 mg/100g), iron (12.4-18.7 mg/100g), zinc (3.8-5.6 mg/100g), magnesium (86.4-124.6 mg/100g), and phosphorus (234.8-316.4 mg/100g). Samples from Anyigba demonstrated significantly higher antioxidant activity and bioactive compound content than those from other locations, establishing it as a superior production location.

Conclusion: This first comprehensive study of Dawadawa from North-Central Nigeria demonstrates that traditionally fermented products from Kogi State possess substantial antioxidant activities and excellent nutritional composition, confirming their status as functional foods with significant health-promoting potential. The identification of Anyigba as a producer of superior-quality Dawadawa with enhanced antioxidant properties has important implications for quality control, best-practice guidelines for commercial production, and the development of region-specific functional food applications.

Keywords: Dawadawa, antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, nutritional composition, functional food, bioactive compounds, fermented legume, Nigeria, fermented condiments