Reduction of the nutritional values of cowpea infested with Callosobruchus maculatus (Coloeptera: bruchidae)

This study was carried out to study the food nutrients such as the Free Fatty Acids and some other nutritional values of cowpea infested with Callosobruchus maculatus invitro. 400g of uninfested cowpea was divided into two parts of 200g each. The first 200g was left to be infested by Callosobruchus maculatus for 100 days. The remaining 200g was preserved in a Kilner jar in the laboratory. The mean moisture content of the infested cowpea was 21.10 while that of the uninfested cowpea was 32.70. The mean dry matter content of the infested cowpea was 78.89 while that of the uninfested cowpea was 67.30. The mean fat content of the infested sample was 2.75 while that of the uninfested sample was 6.23. The mean ash content of the infested sample was 1.85 while that of the uninfested sample was 1.90. The mean crude fibre content of the infested sample was 3.45 while the value for the uninfested sample was 2.84. The mean crude protein content values of the infested sample were 14.90 while the uninfested was 50.50. The mean carbohydrate content value of the infested sample was 21.74 while that of the uninfested sample was 5.87 and finally, the mean FFA value of the infested sample was 15.51 while that of the uninfested sample was 21.80.