Comparative Assessment of the Proximate and Mineral Composition of Cucumis sativus L. and Solanum aethiopicum L. Fruit Samples Grown in South Eastern and North Central Regions of Nigeria Respectively

Studies were carried out to comparatively assess the proximate and mineral composition of Solanum aethiopicum L. and Cucumis sativus L. fruit samples grown in the South Eastern and North Central regions of Nigeria respectively, following standard analytical procedures and instrumentation. The mineral elements (Na, K, Zn and Ca) were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer after wet digestion of the samples while the proximate parameters (ash content, moisture content, crude fibre content, crude protein content, crude fat content and carbohydrate content) were determined in accordance with standard analytical procedures. The mean range of the moisture, crude fibre, crude protein, crude fat, ash and carbohydrate contents in the S. aethiopicum L. fruit samples grown in the North Central and South Eastern regions of Nigeria were 72.49 - 88.23, 2.15 - 3.67, 1.31 - 1.85, 0.43 - 0.76, 0.51 - 0.84 and 3.18% - 5.72% respectively. Additionally, the moisture, crude fibre, crude protein, crude fat, ash and carbohydrate contents in the Cucumis sativus L. fruit samples grown in the South Eastern and North Central regions of Nigeria, had mean range of values of 93.60 - 98.76, 0.53 - 0.77, 2.14 - 2.84, 0.29 - 0.46, 0.90