Meat Preference and Meat Consumption Pattern of Southwestern Nigeria: A Study of Sandwich Degree Students of Ekiti State University, Ado – Ekiti, Oyo Study Centre

Abstract

Many factors have been identified as contributory to choices different consumers make in meeting their daily animal protein requirements, especially regarding their meat preference and consumption patterns. This survey was aimed at determining the meat preference and meat consumption pattern of Southwestern Nigeria using the sandwich degree students of Ekiti State University, Ado – Ekiti, Oyo study centre as a case study. A total of 120 questionnaires were purposively administered to the students of Southwestern Nigeria origin. Respondents were randomly selected and the results obtained were subjected to frequency counts and simple percentage. Indigenes of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Lagos, Ekiti and Ondo states (32.73, 22.73, 17.27, 11.82, 8.18 and 7.27) % respectively were covered in the survey. All the respondents were resident in Southwestern Nigeria and majority of them were females (53.64%) and married (68.18%). The results obtained further showed that the meat preferences of the respondents were poultry, beef and fish (20.66, 17.96 and 17.07) % while their meat consumption pattern, (access, moderated by income, season, location and their likes) was beef, poultry and fish (25.00, 20.09 and 15.62) % respectively. The preferred processing method was frying  (50.00 %). Also, the respondents preferred soft – textured meat (65.45%) and fish (70.00%) as their animal protein sources. Regarding preference for meat products,suya (40.77%) was the choice of the respondents. Concerning knowledge of cholesterol, only 18.00 % of the respondents had a good knowledge of its effects on human health. The major factors that influence respondents’decision to purchase meat were quality, taste and price (56.36, 39.09, and 36.36) % respectively.

Key words: meat preference, meat consumption pattern, Southwestern Nigeria