Nutritional Assessment of Some Nigerian Land and Water Snail Species.

Abstract

Proximate and mineral analyses were carried out on Nigeria's three land (Archachatina marginata ovum, Archachatina marginata saturalis and Limicolaria spp) and two fresh water (Lanistes varicus and Nucella lapillus) snail species for nutritional assessment using their muscular foot tissues. The mean of crude protein ranged from 70.00 ± 0.03 in Lanistes varicus to 84.43 ± 0.01% in Archachatina marginata ovum and moisture
content of 73.69 ± 0.01 in Nucella lapillus to 80.78 ± 0.06% in Archachatina marginata ovum were obtained. The water snails had significantly (P < 0.05) higher crude fibre than the land snails. Values as low as 0.50 ± 0.02 crude fibre were obtained in Archachatina marginata ovum while Nucella lapillus had the highest value of 1.50 ± 0.01. Mineral analysis of the snail species revealed relatively high amount of minerals in the water snails
compared to the land snails. Calcium values of 172.79 ± 0.01 in Limicolaria spp to 182.70 ± 0.02mg /100g in Nucella lapillus were obtained. Phosphorus ranged from 51.49 ± 0.01 in Archachatina marginata saturalis to 62.52± 0.01 mg/100g in Lanistes varicus and Iron content ranged from 6.79 ± 0.06 in Archachatina marginata ovum to 11.09 ± 0.01mg/ 100g in Nucella lapillus with low zinc content of 1.14 ± 0.01 in Limicolaria spp. to 1.32 ± 0.01mg/100g in Nucella lapillus. This research therefore, encourages increase in production and consumption of snail species especially Archachatina marginata ovum based on its high crude protein content and size.

Keywords: Land and water snails, minerals, chemical composition, and nutritive qualities.

Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies of Management Vol. 1 (2) 2008: pp. 56-60