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DETERMINATION OF PROXIMATE AND MINERAL CONTENTS OF CRAB (CALLINECTES AMNICOLA) LIVING ON THE SHORE OF OJO RIVER, LAGOS, NIGERIA

B. A. MORONKOLA, R. A. OLOWU, O. O. TOVIDE and O. O. AYEJUYO

The tissue, crunchy and walking legs of crab callinectes amnicola were investigated for their Proximate (protein, ash, fat and moisture content) and mineral composition (calcium, iron and zinc). The crude protein determined by microkjeldahl method ranged between 19.2-28.3 g/100 g and the study showed that the crab sample are rich in protein with highest observed in crab tissue (28.00 ± 0.071 %) while the walking legs are (19. 233 ± 0.066%) and the crunchy (19.820 ± 0.069%) respectively. Crude fiber and crude fat were determined gravimetrically and by extraction method using soxhlet extractor were found to ranged from 0.02-11.70 % and 0.6-1.020 %. The crude fiber is higher in the walking legs with a value of 11.070 ± 0.037 % compared to tissue and the crunchy part with a value of 0.023 ± 0.071% and 6.680 ± 0.074% respectively. The moisture content ranged from 67.37 ± 0.226% to 70.046 ± 0.049% in all the parts analyzed. Ash content recorded an average value of 1.040 ± 0.017%, 1.300 ± 0.001 % and 1.041 ± 0.002% in crunchy, walking legs and tissue respectively. Calcium, iron and zinc were quantified using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The concentration of the mineral varied for calcium highest amount ranging from 850 μg/g in the tissue to 900 μg/g in the crunchy which is followed by iron ranging from 690 μg/g tissue to 820 μg/g in the crunchy part of the crab. On the other hand zinc showed the lowest concentration which ranged from 128 μg/g in the tissue to 388 μg/g in the walking legs. The concentrations of the mineral content were within the allowed daily requirement for zinc, iron and calcium per day respectively. Therefore, the crab callinectes amnicola could be a balanced human diet and could be employed as an alternative dietary supplement of protein and mineral matter minerals in the body. Hence the consumption of crabs would help to prevent nutritional deficiencies in the future.