MSc

The study on "Physio chemical properties of jackfruit (Artocarpus
heterophyllus Lam.) seed flour and its prospects for the use in cattle feed" was
undertaken at the Department of Processing Technology, College of Horticulture,
Kerala Agricultural University for evaluating the physio chemical characters of
jackfruit as well as seed and utilization of seed flour for compounded cattle feed.
Significant variation existed between thirty fruit samples collected from
different locations in Kerala for physical characters of fruit. The contribution of
edible bulbs, rind and perigones, core and seed to the fruit were 21.3 - 29.7, 42.6-
52.3, 12.4-19.8 and 8.4-16.2 per cent respectively. The samples also differed
significantly with respect to chemical constituents of seed. Total carbohydrates,
crude fibre, digestible carbohydrates, total minerals and fat content were found to
be in the range of 54.7 to 79.8 per cent, 1.5 to 3.9 per cent, 5l.8 to 76.4 per cent,
1.3 to 5.0 per cent and 0.2 to 1.9 per cent respectively.
Seed flour stored in different packaging materials differed significantly with
respect to weight loss or gain, moisture content, carbohydrate content and
organoleptic qualities during storage. Seed flour stored in glass bottles, aluminium
foil and polythene cover registered less weight gain, least moisture ingress and
,
minimum variation in carbohydrate content and also had better colour and flavour
retention, low caking and less insect infestation during the storage as compared to
other packaging materials. Polyethylene cover was found to be the most cost
effective packaging material for storage of seed flour.
The product, chapatti was prepared by blending wheat flour (WF) and
jackfruit seed flour (JSF) in different proportions viz., 90: 1 0, 80:20, 70:30 and
60:40. Organoleptic evaluation revealed that jackfruit seed flour can be blended
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with the wheat flour up to the extent of 20 per cent without effecting of quality of
chapatti with respect to colour, flavour, texture, taste and overall acceptability.
A feeding trial on dairy cows was conducted at University livestock farm,
Mannuthy to study the feasibility of utilizing jack seed flour in the compounded
cattle feed by replacing part of maize in the concentrate mixture. No significant
difference in milk production and milk composition (fat percentage, total solids
and solids not fat) between the animals receiving Ration 1 (20 per cent level JSF)
and Ration II (40 per cent level JSF) was observed indicating that JSF can be
incorporated up to 40 per cent in the feed concentrate without adversely affecting
the milk production and milk quality.
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