# Nutritional Profiling of Underutilised _Citrullus lantus mucosospermus_ Seed Flour
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Mineral Composition of Defatted Egusi Flour  
Sixteen trace minerals and five major elements were detected in defatted egusi flour obtained after supercritical extraction in Table 3. The principal element (Table 3), phospho-rus, ranged from 1698.9 to 2046.4 mg/100 g, with DEF3 being the highest, with a significant (\(p\leq 0.05\)) difference in the samples, followed by K, Mg, Ca, and Fe. Elements in the defatted flours differed significantly in concentration, influenced by the pressure and temperature used during extraction. The mineral content was significantly increased with an increase in temperature (\(p\leq 0.05\)) and high in defatted flour DEF3 (75 \({}^{\circ}\)C 600 bar) except for trace elements (Fe, Al, Ba, Hg, Pb, and Si), where the highest concentration was found in DEF1 (60 \({}^{\circ}\)C and 450 bar). The high mineral content could be due to the affiliation of elements to low-temperature processing, causing minimal disruption in its constituents [22]. The effect of high temperature and pressure on the extracted flour during a supercritical extraction ensures minimum contact between solvent and solute, as solvent extraction CO\({}_{2}\) was released at pulse speed. This steady release of CO\({}_{2}\) separated the liquid from a solid base; thus, more nutrients were observed in the residue [29]. Phosphorus, the highest in egusi flour, is necessary for human life. High phosphorus offers an additional functional food to be incorporated into daily diets. Calcium is an essential structural component of bone, vital in forming a healthy body. Egusi contains a high calcium concentration, making it an alternative calcium food source. Egusi is also high in magnesium, with the highest DEF3 being 957.8 mg/100 g, with a significant (\(p\leq 0.05\)) difference between the three samples. Muscle and nerves' proper functionality can be aided with magnesium and the heart's steady rhythmic flow [40]. Calcium, potassium, and magnesium play a significant role in repairing worn-out body cells. In appreciable amounts, DEF1, DEF2, and DEF3 contain trace elements, such as zinc, manganese, and iron. These elements are essential for enzyme metabolism and the proper functioning of individual cells in the body. The high phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and calcium content in egusi flour make it a good supplement for pregnant and \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline  & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Defatted Egusi Flour [1,2]**} \\ \hline
**Mineral (mg/100 g)** & **DEF1** & **DEF2** & **DEF3** \\ \hline B & 2.7 \(\pm\) 0.11 1 & 3.3 \(\pm\) 0.045 2 & 3.6 \(\pm\) 0.22 2 \\ Al & 17.1 \(\pm\) 0.29 1 & 8.6 \(\pm\) 0.07 3 & 11.0 \(\pm\) 0.02 2 \\ Ti & 0.7 \(\pm\) 0.01 1 & 0.5 \(\pm\) 0.01 2 & 0.6 \(\pm\) 0.02 3 \\ Cr & 0.3 \(\pm\) 0.00 1 & 0.1 \(\pm\) 0.00 2 & 0.1 \(\pm\) 0.00 1 \\ Mn & 7.7 \(\pm\) 0.12 1 & 7.8 \(\pm\) 0.05 2 & 8.5 \(\pm\) 0.14 3 \\ Fe & 44.4 \(\pm\) 0.54 1 & 26.7 \(\pm\) 0.11 3 & 33.0 \(\pm\) 0.56 2 \\ Ni & 0.5 \(\pm\) 0.01 1 & 0.4 \(\pm\) 0.01 1 & 0.5 \(\pm\) 0.01 2 \\ Cu & 3.7 \(\pm\) 0.07 1 & 3.9 \(\pm\) 0.06 2 & 4.1 \(\pm\) 0.08 2 \\ Zn & 9.6 \(\pm\) 0.15 1 & 12.0 \(\pm\) 0.16 2 & 12.8 \(\pm\) 0.21 3 \\ Sr & 0.9 \(\pm\) 0.00 1 & 1.1 \(\pm\) 0.01 2 & 1.2 \(\pm\) 0.02 3 \\ Mo & 0.2 \(\pm\) 0.00 1 & 0.3 \(\pm\) 0.01 2 & 0.4 \(\pm\) 0.01 3 \\ Ba & 0.8 \(\pm\) 0.07 1 & 0.8 \(\pm\) 0.05 1 & 0.8 \(\pm\) 0.02 1 \\ Si & 14.0 \(\pm\) 0.11 1 & 10.7 \(\pm\) 0.04 2 & 12.7 \(\pm\) 0.12 3 \\ Ca & 166.8 \(\pm\) 0.79 1 & 186.1 \(\pm\) 0.96 2 & 201.27 \(\pm\) 1.26 3 \\ K & 1208.1 + 17.34 1 & 1298.6 \(\pm\) 15.34 1 & 1413.3 \(\pm\) 18.58 1 \\ Mg & 807.5 \(\pm\) 2.16 1 1 & 880.1 \(\pm\) 2.03 2 & 957.8 \(\pm\) 13.52 \\ Na & 3.4 \(\pm\) 10.11 1 & 8.5 \(\pm\) 0.15 2 & 9.4 \(\pm\) 0.11 3 \\ P & 1698.9 \(\pm\) 8.52 1 & 1877.8 \(\pm\) 8.21 2 & 2046.4 \(\pm\) 5.95 3 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} 1  
\end{table} 
Table 3: Trace and major mineral composition of defatted egusi flour. lactating women, children, and older adults [41].