Composition chimique du nététu, condiment alimentaire produit par fermentation des graines du caroubier africain Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) Benth.

The seed oils and cakes of netetu of different origins available on the Senegalian market have been studied to evaluate the nutritional potentialities of this important food condiment used in many African countries. The total oil content ranged from 141 to 349 g.kg-1. Careful gas chromatography and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) investigations revealed seven major fatty acids among which linoleic (41.9–46.8% of the total fatty acids), oleic (12.6–14.6%), palmitic (10.2–11.3%), stearic (10.0–13.4%), and behenic (12.6–13.4%) predominate. Significant differences were observed between fermented and non-fermented seeds as well as between netetu of different origins. The tocopherol content was found very low (17.7 to 30.6 mg.100g-1 fat). The total amino acid patterns showed that beside high level of proteins (331 à 540 g.kg-1) and interesting levels of essential constituents, there is an important deficiency of tryptophane, cysteine, methionine and threonine.