Osime EC, Onoagbe IO and Akpa CP
Concerns about the impact of crude oil spills on food safety are increasingly driven by the associated health risks. In Nigeria, rural areas that serve as key sites for crude oil exploration are also the main producers of food and cash crops. This study investigated the proximate and phytochemical composition of Mangifera indica stem bark. Plant samples were collected from a crude oil-polluted environment, labeled (C), in Umuechem, Ikwere Local Government Area, which is designated as an oil-contaminated area. The results were compared to those of identical Mangifera indica stem bark harvested from farmland along Oba Market Road in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State, a designated unpolluted environment, labeled (F). Quantitative analysis revealed that the crude ash, protein, fiber, dry matter, moisture, and carbohydrate contents of samples from the polluted environment (C) differed significantly (p< 0.05) from those obtained in the unpolluted environment (F). However, the crude fat content showed no significant difference (p> 0.05) between the two environments. Additionally, the levels of phytochemicals, such as terpenoids and flavonoids, were significantly higher (p> 0.05) in samples from the unpolluted area compared to those from the crude oil-polluted area. This suggests that pollutants from crude oil spills can adversely affect the phytochemical components of Mangifera indica stem bark, reducing its potential therapeutic value.
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