This document summarizes research characterizing the nutritional composition of papaya seeds from two varieties: Red Lady and Tainung #1. Key findings include: - Proximate analysis found higher fat and lower moisture content in fresh seeds compared to fungicide-treated seeds. - Mineral analysis showed higher phosphorus, manganese, nickel, and zinc in fresh seeds compared to treated seeds. - Differences in composition were seen between varieties for some nutrients, but not most. - Composition generally varied more between treatments than varieties. - Mean mineral contents of seeds were low percentages of daily recommended intakes.

1. Characterisation of Papaya Seeds of two
varieties : Red Lady and Tainung #1 –
Possible roles and utilisation for human
nutrition.
Course: AGRI 3013 – Research Project
Author: Sunil Ramnarine
Student ID#: 811002091
Supervisor: Prof. Neela Badrie

2. Introduction
• Carica papaya is an evergreen, tree‐like herb, 2‐10 m tall
• Fruits are commonly eaten in the Caribbean
• The Papaya seed is currently considered a waste by‐
product as it is discarded after being eaten or processed
• To evaluate seeds as a possible food source and maximise
food potential of the fruit, characterisation of Papaya
seeds should be done

3. Rationale for Research
• Seeds constitute 22% of the waste from papaya fruits
• Papaya contains a broad spectrum of phytochemicals
• Utilisation of the papaya seeds may lead to the food
having both a greater economical and nutritive value
• Characterisation of this food source must be done in order
to further identify it’s suitability for consumption and if so
what are its benefits

4. Rationale for research
• Papaya seeds are recently gaining importance due to its
medicinal value, recently it has been used in research of
sickle cell diseases, poisoning related renal disorder and as
anti‐helminthes
• Although fruit seeds contain nutrients beneficial to human
health they are commonly disposed when used
• Seed Flours that can be manufactured can be used as a
locally produced dietary supplement or food additive

5. Methods for Research
• Proximate analysis is an attempt to duplicate animal digestion and
calculate carbohydrate content
• Mineral Analysis – P, Mn, Ni, Zn, using AAS methods
• Determine consumer acceptability as an food additive or
supplementary ingredient in food, using Sensory Evaluation
• Simulation of Commercial Post Harvest Treatment and determine any
effects on content tested for
• Determine any differences in Varieties used for Experiment, by
comparing Physical Attributes of varieties

6. Preparation for Experiments
• Fruits were acquired from the University Field Station, varieties of
Red Lady and Tainung#1
• Fruits individually labelled, Fungicide treatment performed on
selected fruits – 1.5g/L Valete
• Fruit length and circumference measured and fruits weighed
• Seeds Extracted and weighed, oven dried and seed count
performed
• Treated fruits placed under refrigerated conditions : 16°C for 21
Days

7. Proximate Analysis
• Following Determinations were performed:
• Dry Matter/Moisture Content ∙Ash
• Crude Fibre ∙ Fats (Lipids, or Ether Extract)
• Crude Protein ∙ Carbohydrate Determination

8. Proximate Analysis – Results
(%) Red Lady Fresh
µ ± SD (SE)
Red Lady Fungicide
Treatment
µ ± SD (SE)
Significant
Value
Moisture
Content
2.77 ± 0.61 (0.35) 9.65 ± 1.22 (0.71) 0.001
Dry Matter 97.23 ± 0.61 (0.35) 90.35 ± 1.22 (0.71) 0.001
Ash 6.08 ± 1.21 (0.70) 5.6 ± 0.40 (0.23) 0.509
Fats 29.56 ± 0.99 (0.57) 11.40 ± 3.4 (1.96) 0.001
Crude Fibre 17.62 ± 1.72 (0.99) 18.84 ± 1.95 (1.12) 0.481
Crude Protein 0.95 ± 1.61 (0.92) 19.76 ± 17.12 (9.88) 0.131
Carbohydrates 45.79 ± 0.89 (0.51) 45.13 ± 11.79 (4.81) 0.908
Significant Non‐Significant⃰Significant level < 0.05
Proximate composition Comparison – Red Lady Between Treatments

9. Significant Non‐Significant⃰Significant level < 0.05
Proximate composition Comparison – Tainung #1 Between Treatments
(%) Tainung #1 Fresh
µ ± SD (SE)
Tainung #1 Fungicide
Treatment
µ ± SD (SE)
Significant
Value
Moisture
Content
3.07 ± 0.19 (0.11) 9.12 ± 1.23 (0.71) 0.001
Dry Matter 96.62 ± 0.19 (0.11) 90.88 ± 1.23 (0.71) 0.001
Ash 5.61 ± 0.28 (0.17) 5.4 ± 0.54 (0.31) 0.579
Fats 28.32 ± 0.90 (0.52) 11.59 ± 3.42 (1.98) 0.001
Crude Fibre 18.5 ± 1.23 (0.71) 19.67 ± 3.95 (2.28) 0.306
Crude Protein 1.27 ± 1.35 (0.78) 20.71 ± 3.95 (2.28) 0.001
Carbohydrates 46.35 ± 1.74 (1.00) 42.62 ± 2.59 (1.49) 0.107

10. Significant Non‐Significant⃰Significant level < 0.05
Significant values of proximate composition (%) between varieties of
dried papaya seeds
(%) Red Lady
µ ± SD (SE)
Tainung #1 #1
µ ± SD (SE)
Significant
Value
Moisture
Content
6.21 ± 3.87 (1.58) 6.1 ± 3.4 (1.39_ 0.959
Dry Matter 93.79 ± 3.87 (1.58) 93.99 ± 3.4 (1.39) 0.959
Ash 5.82 ± 0.86 (0.35) 5.51 ± 0.40 (0.17) 0.442
Fats 20.48 ± 10.20 (4.12) 19.96 ± 9.4 ( 3.85) 0.486
Crude Fibre 18.23 ± 1.78 (0.72) 19.06 ± 1.32 (0.54) 0.381
Crude Protein 10.35 ± 14.98 (6.11) 10.99 ± 10.97 (4.48) 0.935
Carbohydrates 45.13 ± 11.79 (4.80) 44.49 ± 2.84 (1.16) 0.900

11. Significant Non‐Significant⃰Significant level < 0.05
Significant values of proximate composition (%) between
treatments of dried papaya seeds
(%) Fresh Treatment
µ ± SD (SE)
Fungicide Fungicide
µ ± SD (SE)
Significant
Value
Moisture Content 2.92 ± 0.43 (0.18) 9.39 ± 1.13 (0.46) 0.000
Dry Matter 97.08 ± 0.43 (0.18) 90.62 ± 1.13 (0.46) 0.000
Ash 5.85 ± 0.82 (0.34) 5.48 ± 0.43 (0.18) 0.351
Fats 28.49 ± 1.08 (0.44) 11.49 ± 3.05 (1.25) 0.000
Crude Fibre 18.04 ± 1.41 (0.58) 19.23 ± 1.56 (0.63) 0.182
Crude Protein 1.11 ± 1.34 ( 0.54) 43.54±11.12 (0.54) 0.002
Carbohydrates 46.07 ± 1.27 (0.52) 43.54 ± 3.05 (1.25) 0.617

12. Figure 4.1 Means of Moisture Content % (MCPercent) vs. Means of Fat % – All 12 Replicates

13. Points of Significance
• Fat content was higher in fresh fruit (28.49%) than treated fruits,
(11.49%)
• This may be due to lipid deterioration as fruits were kept for a
prolonged period in a low oxygen environment destabilising lipids
• Fats are used as energy sources during microbial activity
• Fat content is directly related to moisture content, as lipid content of
fruits increase there is a decrease in moisture content and the reverse
is also related if lipid content decreases there is an increase in
moisture content

14. Organic Matter (OM) Percent Means vs Variety by Treatment –
Not a composition of carbohydrates but inverse relationship to ash percent value.

15. Mineral Analysis
• Minerals Analysed :
• Manganese (Mn)
• Nickel
• Phosphorous
• Zinc

16. Significant values for mineral composition of dried papaya
seeds (mg/100g) between variety and treatment
Red Lady
Fresh
µ ± SD (SE)
Red Lady
Fungicide
Treatment
µ ± SD (SE)
Sig.
Value
Tainung #1
Fresh
µ ± SD (SE)
Tainung #1
Fungicide
Treatment
µ ± SD (SE)
Sig.
Value
P 4.21 ± 0.84
(0.48)
1.57 ± 0.20 (0.12) 0.006 3.27 ± 0.46
(0.26)
1.46 ± 0.46 (0.26) 0.008
Mn 0.48 ± 0.12
(.07)
0.13 ± .0.02 (0.01) 0.009 0.41 ± 0.02
(0.01)
0.14 ± 0.02 (0.01) 0.000
Ni 0.03 ± 0.01
(0.01)
0.01 ± 0.00 (0.00) 0.029 0.02 ± 0.00
(0.00)
0.01 ± 0.00 (0.00) 0.000
Zn 0.01 ± 0.00
(0.00)
0.00 ± 00 (00) 0.003 0.01 ± 0.00
(0.00)
0.00 ± 00 (00) 0.001
⃰Significant level < 0.05 Significant Non‐Significant
Mineral Analysis

17. Significant values for mineral composition of dried papaya seeds
(mg/100g) between varieties.
Red Lady
µ ± SD (SE)
Red Lady Fungicide
µ ± SD (SE)
P
2.9 ± 1.5 (0.62) 2.37 ± 1.07 (0.44) 0.513
Mn
0.31 ± 0.01 ( 0.08) 0.28 ± 0.15 (0.06) 0.764
Ni
0.18 ± 0.01 (0.01) 0.01 ± 0.01 (0.00) 0.441
Zn
1.0 ± .01 (0.00) 1.0 ± .04 (0.00) 0.422
⃰Significant level < 0.05 Significant Non‐Significant

18. Significant values for mineral composition of dried papaya seeds
(mg/100g) between treatments
Fresh Treatment
µ ± SD (SE)
Fungicide Treatment
µ ± SD (SE)
Sig.
Value
P
3.74 ± 0.79 (0.32) 0.15 ± 0.32 (0.13) 0.000
Mn
0.45 ± 0.09 ( 0.04) 0.14 ± 0.02 (0.01) 0.000
Ni
0.02 ± 0.01 (0.00) 0.01 ± 0.00 (0.00) 0.001
Zn
1.0.01 (0.00) 1.0.00 (0.00) 0.000
⃰Significant level < 0.05
Significant Non‐Significant

19. DRI of Minerals vs Mean mineral content of all treatments as percentage
Mineral Mean of
Mineral
Content‐
mg/100g
Lower Limit ‐
DRI ‐mg/day
Content
as
Percentag
e of Lower
Limit
Upper Limit‐
DRI‐mg/day
Content as
Percentage of
Upper Limit
P 2.63 275 0.96 700 0.38
Mn 0.29 0.6 48.33 2.6 11.15
Ni 0.02 0.2 10 1 2.00
Zn 0.01 3 0.33 12 0.08

20. Fungicide Treatment
• 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm sections were cut from Fungicide Treatment
Fruits at the latitudinal section
• They were cut into 5mm x 5 mm pieces to be cultured
• They were placed on PDA culture plates – Used for fungal
cultures
• Left for 7 days and viewed under microscope for determinations

21. Fungi Detection on Fungicide Treatments
Significant values for fungi detection in fungicide treated samples by
variety
Red Lady
µ ± SD (SE)
Tainung #1 #1
µ ± SD (SE)
Significant
Value
Fungi
Growth
3. ± 1.20 (0.40) 3.33± 1.32 (0.44) 0.887
⃰Significant level < 0.05 Significant Non‐Significant

22. Sensory Evaluation
•Samples :
•901 – Honey Oat Bar with Papaya Seed Flour
Centre; Papaya Seed Product
•902 – Fig Newtons; Established Product on the
Retail Market

23. Sensory Evaluation
Palatability
Factor
Fig Newton (902)
µ ± SD (SE)
Papaya Seed/Oat Bar (901)
µ ± SD (SE)
Sig.
Value
Taste 7.22 ± 1.13 (0.16 5.18 ± 1.62 (0.22) 0.003
Texture 7.24 ± 1.3 (0.17) 5.8 ± 1.6 (0.22) 0.053
Overall
Acceptability 7.26 ± 1.2 (0.17) 5.6 ± 1.6 (0.22) 0.021
Significant values of palatability factors of both samples
*Significant level < 0.05
Scale for all attributes: 1‐Terrible, 2‐Very bad, 3‐Bad, 4‐Just a little bad, 5‐Maybe good or
maybe bad, 6‐Just a little good, 7‐Good, 8‐Very good, 9‐Great
Significant Non‐Significant

24. Individual sample overall acceptability ratings , hedonic scale t‐test for all
participants
Papaya Fig Newton
Terrible 20.85 36.61
Very bad 16.3 30.77
Bad 11.75 24.92
Just a little bad 7.2 19.07
Maybe good maybe bad 2.64 13.21
Just a little good ‐1.912 7.37
Good ‐6.465 1.52
Very good ‐11.02 ‐4.33
Great ‐15.572 ‐10.18
Significance level <0.05

25. Samples 901 and 902 overall acceptability ratings , hedonic Scale t‐test for all
participants by gender and age
Gender Age
Terrible 12.71 14.53
Very bad ‐7.79 5.45
Bad ‐28.29 ‐3.63
Just a little bad ‐48.79 ‐12.72
Maybe good maybe bad ‐69.29 ‐21.80
Just a little good ‐89.79 ‐30.89
Good ‐110.28 ‐69.97
Very good ‐130.78 ‐49.05
Great ‐151.28 ‐58.13
Significance level <0.05

26. Paired Samples Correlations
N Correlation Significant
Value
Pair 1 Sample & Sample
Taste 100 .593 0.000
Pair 2 Sample & Sample
Texture
100 .458 0.000
Pair 3 Sample & Sample
Overall
100 .521 0.000
⃰Significant level < 0.05 Significant Non‐Significant

27. •Physical Features were measured
•Length and Circumference
•Fruit Weight
•Seed Count per fruit
Fruit Characterisation by Varieties

28. Fruit Characteristics
Comparison of means of dimensional characteristics and seed count and
significant values to Red Lady and Tainung #1 #1 varieties
Red Lady
µ ± SD (SE)
Tainung #1 #1
µ ± SD (SE)
Sig.
Values
Fruit Weight 2.64 ± 0.56 (0.16) 1.67 ± 0.33 (0.08) 0.000
Fruit Length 34.60 ± 7.51 (0.84) 30.54 ± 2.20 (0.55) 0.000
Fruit Circumference 55.67 ± 7.51 (2.17) 42.97 ± 4.89 (1.22)
0.000
Seed Count 735 ± 303.46 (87.58) 574.44 ± 330.33 (82.58) 0.199
*Significant level < 0.05 Significant Non‐Significant

29. ANOVAa,b
Model Sum of
Squares
df Mean Square F Sig.
Regression 701608.801 3 233869.600 6.017 0.019c
Residual 310923.199 8 38865.400
Total 1012532.000 11
a. Dependent Variable: Seed Count
b. Selecting only cases for which Harvest Variety = Red Lady
c. Predictors: (Constant), Fruit Circumference, Fruit Length, Fruit
Weight
P‐value < 0.5
One‐Way ANOVA Seed count to Physical Dimensions – Red Lady
*Significant level < 0.05 Significant Non‐Significant

30. *Significant level < 0.05 Significant Non‐Significant
ANOVAa,b
Model Sum of
Squares
df Mean
Square
F Sig.
Regression 1045559.540 3 348519.847 7.074 0.005c
Residual 591238.397 12 49269.866
Total 1636797.937 15
a. Dependent Variable: Seed Count
b. Selecting only cases for which Harvest Variety = Tainung #1
c. Predictors: (Constant), Fruit Circumference, Fruit Length, Fruit Weight
P‐value < 0.05
One‐Way ANOVA Seed count to Physical Dimensions – Tainung #1

31. Conclusion
• Papaya seeds may be a good source of fibre, protein and fats for both
animal and human nutrition
• Noted was differences in fat composition differing in both treatments
• Mineral content of Phosphorous, Manganese, Nickel and Zinc were not
comparable to daily requirements for human nutrition
• High crude protein was determined, further research may go into amino
acid concentrations and types
• The treatment needs more research as it was not compared to fresh fruits
due to availability of fresh fruit material and time constraints

32. • Sensory evaluations of a product carrying papaya’s seed little
masked flavour was generally received as a product with
consumer acceptance
• Marketing strategies such as focus on carbohydrate content as
well as fibre and protein composition can be used to attract
consumers of various market segments
• Physical characterisation showed Red Lady as a prolific variety
when compared to Tainung #1, having greater weight and higher
seed count
• Characterisation of papaya seeds should be continued as it may
be considered a food product that can be utilised in various ways

33. THANK YOU ‐ OBRIGADO