Assessment of the Effectiveness of Cocoa Pod-Husk Ash Extract as Alkaline in Reducing the Crude Fiber Levels in Sorghum Spent Grain (Pito Mash)

Abstract

A ratio of 1:8.1 alkali strength of NaoH to cocoa pod husk ash extract was determined, based on the concentration of 25g of cocoa pod husk ash/200ml of water. This was established after titrating aqueous solutions of NaOH and cocoa pod husk ash in turns against 1MHcl.In the second category, four different solutions with concentrations of 62.5g/0.5L, 125g/1L, 187.5g/1.5L and 250g/2.0L were prepared. Each solution was divided into three equal parts, and used to treat 50g of milled pito mash. These were allowed to digest for 24, 48 and 72 hours. The 48 digestion duration, was found to be the most effective in reducing crude fiber content of the pito mash from 10.22 – 6.74%. The CP, EE. NDF, ADF and hemicelluloses were also reduced from 30.80 – 28.80, 9.50 – 2.50, 73.00 – 53.00, 30.00 – 26.00 and 43.00 – 27.00 % respectively, whilst ash and moisture contents increased from 3.50 – 12.00 and 3.00 – 11.50%, respectively, in alkali concentration of 1.5L in the treatment duration of 48hour.

Key words: Crude fiber, Acid detergent fiber, Neutral detergent fiber, hemicelluloses