Production, Nutritional Value and Toxicity of Kawal, a Fermented Product from the Leaves of Cassia obtusifolia (L.): A Review
Amboussidi Fangbo, Ngaha Damndja Wilfred, Collinlaw Ndouyang Joseph, Mbailao Mbaiguinam, Njintang Yanou Nicolas
European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety · pp. 30–41 · Published 9 Feb 2024
10.9734/ejnfs/2024/v16i21385Abstract
Cassia obtusifolia is a plant of the Fabaceae family. Its leaves are eaten as a vegetable in several African countries. In some African countries like Chad and Sudan, the leaves are processed by fermentation in a solid state, called in arabic kawal, which is eaten with cereal couscous. The present study is a literature review on the production of kawal and similar products. The production of kawal remains made by craftsmen. After crushing, the leaves are incubated in a buried jar for a period that varies from 14 to 30 days, sun-dried for 3 to 5 days and are ready for consumption. Kawal has several nutritional benefits. Fermentation of C. obtusifolia leaves increases protein, calcium, magnesium and iron content by 38, 98, 75 and 47% respectively, and reduces the levels of secondary metabolites like polyphenols, tannins and phytic acid by 20, 6 and 47% respectively. Fermentation of C. obtusifolia leaves reduces the levels of secondary metabolites like polyphenols, tannins and phytic acid by 20, 6 and 47% respectively. However, some studies on the effect of kawal on albino rats and chicken’s growth have revealed signs of toxicity manifested through high level of serum transaminases and histopathology of the liver and kidneys. These data show that the fermentation of C. obtusifolia leaves improve nutritional value of this vegetable but does not considerably reduce secondary metabolites which could be considered as antinutrients and might be responsible of the toxicity in albino rats and chickens.
References (31)
- 1 Ethanolic Extract of Propolis (EEP) Enhances the Apoptosis- Inducing Potential of TRAIL in Cancer Cells [DOI]
- 2 A Survey on Temperate Fruit Pests and their Importance in the Highland Areas of North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia [DOI]
- 3 An ethnobotanical survey of indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants used by the traditional healers of the Lwamondo area, Limpopo province, South Africa [DOI]
- 4 Phytogenic and microbial phytases in human nutrition [DOI]
- 5 Cassiae semen, a seed of Cassia obtusifolia, has neuroprotective effects in Parkinson’s disease models [DOI]
- 6 Phytochemistry, Ethnopharmacological Uses, Biological Activities, and Therapeutic Applications of Cassia obtusifolia L.: A Comprehensive Review [DOI]
- 7 Fermentation and cooking of sicklepod (Cassia obtusifolia) leaves: changes in chemical and amino acid composition, antinutrients and protein fractions and digestibility [DOI]
- 8 A Review on Mechanistic Overview on the Formation of Toxic Substances during the Traditional Fermented Food Processing [DOI]
- 9 Effect of ammonia on the growth of Bacillus species and some other bacteria [DOI]
- 10 Biochemical and microbiological studies on kawal, a meat substitute derived by fermentation of cassia obtusifolia leaves [DOI]
- 11 Laxative activities of Cassia sieberiana and Senna obtusifolia [DOI]
- 12 Blood parameters of wistar albino rats fed processed tropical sickle pod (Senna obtusifolia) leaf meal-based diets [DOI]
- 13 Nutritional and phytochemical screening of Senna obtusifolia indigenous to Mubi, Nigeria
- 14 Effect of Pure Culture Fermentation on Biochemical Composition of Moringa oleifera Lam Leaves Powders [DOI]
- 15 Genetic diversity and population structure assessment of Chinese Senna obtusifolia L. by molecular markers and morphological traits of seed [DOI]
- 16 Two new naphthalenic lactone glycosides from Cassia obtusifolia L. seeds [DOI]
- 17 Anti-Nutritional Factors of Green Leaves of Cassia obtusifolia and Kawal [DOI]
- 18 Evaluation of in vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts from Cassia obtusifolia L. and Senna sophera (L.) Roxb against pathogenic organisms [DOI]
- 19 The pathological and biochemical effects of feeding fermented leaves ofcassia obtusifolia’Kawal’ to broiler chicks [DOI]
- 20 Effects of Feeding Cassia obtusifolia Leaf Meal on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics and Blood Profile of Broiler Chickens [DOI]
- 21 Nomenclature locale et usages de Senna obtusifolia (L.) au Burkina Faso. [DOI]
- 22 Potential uses of sicklepod (Cassia obtusifolia) [DOI]
- 23 Traditional Technologies and Probiotic Properties of Bacillus Strains Isolated from Kawal -A Chad Traditional Fermented Food Condiment [DOI]
- 24 Nourriture de cueillette en pays sahélien [DOI]
- 25 Identification and Biochemical Analysis of Microorganisms involved in the Fermentation of Kawal-A Traditional Fermented Sicklepod Leaves (Senna obtusifolia) [DOI]
- 26 Interaction Effect of Season, Habitat and Leaf Age on Proximate Composition of Senna occidentalis and Senna obtusifolia Leaves Grown in Fadama and Upland Locations in Sokoto, Nigeria [DOI]
- 27 Toxicity of Senna obtusifolia fresh and fermented leaves (kawal), Senna alata leaves and some products from Senna alata on rats [DOI]
- 28 Nutritional Potential of Two Leafy Vegetables Leptadenia hastata Decne and Senna obtusifolia Link Consumed in Senegal [DOI]
- 29 Cassia obtusifolia (Senna or Sicklepod Seed) [DOI]
- 30 Local perceptions and ethnobotanical uses values of Senna obtusifolia, an invasive native plant species in Burkina Faso, West Africa [DOI]
- 31 African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology [DOI]
Cited by 2
Abdalbasit Mariod, Haroon Elrasheid Tahir, Mohamed Ahmed Agab · Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences · 2025
Showing 1 of 2 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.
Related research
- Physico Chemical and Sensory Evaluation of the Fortified Biscuits with Sesame Cake Flour — shares topic coverage
- Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.), an Underutilized Fruit Crop with Potential Nutritional Value for Cultivation in the United States of America: A Review — shares topic coverage
- Evaluation of Margarine Quality Prepared from Sunflower and Coconut Oil — shares topic coverage
- Untraditional Sources for Producing High Nutritional Value Bakery Products — shares topic coverage
- A Comparative Study on Proximate Composition of Odisha’s Local Bantal Variety Banana Peel (Musa paradisiaca) Flour with Cereals Flour for Their Value Addition — shares topic coverage
Article metrics
Real usage data collected on this platform.
36
Page views
0
PDF downloads
10
Outbound clicks
2
Citations
Views over time
Views by country
Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".
Traffic sources
Referring site, by host.
Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.