ABSTRACT

The proximate, elemental, amino acid and fatty acid compositions of eight different species of snail, were determined using standard analytical methods. The snails analyzed included four from land species (Archachailna maginata Ovum (Sn 1), Archachatina maginata saturalis (Sn 2), Archachatina degneri (Sn 3) and Achatina achatina (Sn 4) and four from freshwater species (Lanistes vericus (Pw 1), Tympanotonis Specie 1 (Big Spiny Shelled type) Pw 2, Tympanolonis specie 2 (Small spiny shelled type) Pw 3 and Tympanotonis specie 3 (Smooth shell type) Pw 4). The proximate composition of the snails showed that, moisture ranged from 66.37 — 73.65%, ash from 7.70 — 12.10%, fibre from 4.82 — 6.74%, protein from 53.20 — 66.85%. lipid from 4.25 — 7.15%, carbohydrate from 12.5 — 25.26% and caloric value from 340.53 — 386.22. The results of the elemental analysis were as follows: calcium (17.519 — 99.767mg/lOOg), magnessium (34.02 1 — 8 1.443 mg/bOg), potassium (36.835 — 79.692 mg/bOg), iron (6.174 — 13.304 mg/bOg), manganese (0.100 — 0.733 mg/bOg), Copper (0.229 — 0.51 1mg/bOg), Nickel (0.027 -0.068mg/bOg), lead (0.007 — 0.028mg/bOg) and Zinc (0.044 — 0.588mg/bOg). Cobalt was not detected. The amino acid analysis showed the presence of the following essential amino acids: lysine (5.15 — 16.21g/lOOg), Histidine (1.32 — 2.69g/lOOg), threonine (1.66 — 8.21g/lOOg), valine (3.25 — 8.54g/lOog), methionine (0.52 — 2.08g/bOog), isoleucine (2.96 — 9. 16g/lOOg), leucine (5.60 — 9.99g/loOg) and phenylalanin (2.03 — 7.27g/boOg), other semiessential amino acids, cysteine, tyrosine and aginine were present in trace amount. The fatty acid analysis showed that the eight species of snail are composed of mainly nine fatty acids, palmitic, myristic, oleic, vaccinic, linoleic erucic, behenic, eicosapentaenoic xli p and docosahexanoic acids. The results showed .that the snail samples investigated are rich in protein and can provide some of the essential amino acids macrominerals needed by man.