Effect of Calotropis procera on the Proximate Composition and Potential Toxicity of Wagashi (Traditional Cheese) in Benin

Abstract

The Peulh cheese, locally known as Wagashi, is a popular local milk product in Benin. The most important step in the production of Wagashi is the coagulation of the milk into cheese using fresh leaves and stems of Calotopis procera. Calotropis procera is a well-known traditional medicinal plant in the world and, particularly utilized in West Africa in the treatment of many infections. Despite the importance associated with this plant, it has been shown that the plant contains toxic substances that can threaten human health. To define the properties of this plant, we embarked on determining the phytochemical composition of Calotropis procera, Wagashi and whey, evaluation of the value added by the coagulant by comparing the proximate composition of the milk to the one of the wagashi as well as assess the safety of the Wagashi and the whey. Milk from three different breeds of cows (Girolando, Borgou and Lagunaire) were collected from Benin, and used to prepare the cheese and whey evaluated in this study. Our results revealed that there is significant variation (p≤0.05) between the gross composition of the milk, Wagashi and whey. The moisture content vary from 84.19% for milk to 62.47% to the cheese, the ash content vary from 0.67% in milk to 1.41% for cheese while the protein content vary from 2.44% in milk to 8.18% for cheese while the lactose vary from 2.02% to 3.0% for cheese; as for the carbohydrate content decrease from 6.12% in the milk to 4% in the cheese for the breed Girolando. The moisture content vary from 81.68% for milk to 57.34% to the cheese, the ash content vary from 0.63% in milk to 1.46% for cheese while the protein content vary from 1.73% in milk to 8.03% for cheese, the fat content vary from 7.5% to 4.52% for cheese while the lactose vary from 2.37% to 2.90% for cheese; as for the carbohydrate content decrease from 5.38% in the milk to 3.77% in the cheese for the breed Borgou. The moisture content vary from 84.19% for milk to 62.74% to the cheese, the ash content vary from 0.67% in milk to 1.41% for cheese while the protein content vary from 2.44% in milk to 8.18% for cheese, the fat content vary from 5.10% to 7.11% for cheese while the lactose vary from 2.02% to 3% for cheese; as for the carbohydrate content decrease from 6.12% in the milk to 4% in the cheese for the breed Lagunaire. However, the variance in composition is dependent on the breed from which the milk was obtained. Besides, the phytochemicals present in Calotropis procera such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, cardiac glycosides, phenols, saponins and steroids were not detected in both the cheese and whey. We deduced that the process of Wagashi and/or whey processing denatures the phytochemicals, thus assuring the safety of the products. However, further studies exploiting more sensitive analytical methods are required to confirm these findings

Keywords: Milk, cheese, whey, proximate, Calotropis procera, phytochemical analysis