Abstract
Developing countries remain overwhelmed by nutritional problems caused mainly by poverty, natural disasters and political instabilities. The aim of this study was to determine essential mineral content of some common fish species in the Okavango Delta, Botswana and assess their potential in enhancing mineral intake. Atomic Absorption Spectrometry was used for determination of Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn; flame photometry for Na and K; UV-VIS Spectrometry for P. Marcusenius altisambesi, Schilbe intermedius, Brycinus lateralis, Oreochromis andersonii, Barbus poechii. Only edible flesh was analysed for large fish (>130mm) while small fish (<130mm) were analysed whole. Single factor ANOVA analyses show that all minerals analysed except copper varied significantly between species, (p≤0.05) and the small species, Barbus poechii has the highest mineral content. The concentration ranges of minerals were within FAO mean concentration ranges for fish and comparable to values obtained from other previous studies. The results show that fishes of Chanoga have a good supply of minerals and can be used for enhancing mineral intake and protecting the community from mineral deficiency diseases. Key words: Fish species, macro-nutrients, micro-nutrients, mineral content, Okavango Delta.  
Highlights
In human nutrition, essential elements are those chemical elements that are required for the normal maintenance of the human body (Jiang et al, 2015)
The aim of this study was to quantify for the first time, the essential mineral content of common fish species found in the Okavango delta and identify the species with high mineral content which can be recommended for use in combating mineral deficiencies in the country and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region
The recommended daily intake of calcium for adults is 1000 - 1300 mg (FAO/WHO, 2001); these results present fishes of Chanoga as excellent sources of calcium, especially the small fish species, B. lateralis and B. poechii which had higher calcium levels of 959 mg/100 g and 1290 mg/100 g respectively, contributing over 100% of Ca daily requirement
Summary
Essential elements are those chemical elements that are required for the normal maintenance of the human body (Jiang et al, 2015) These elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn) participate in several biochemical reactions; calcium, magnesium and phosphorus are crucial in the formation of bones and teeth; sodium and potassium work together in the transmission of nerve impulses and keeping electrolyte balance; zinc is mostly found as a cofactor in enzyme reactions, iron forms part of the haemoglobin molecule which transport oxygen around the body (Alas et al., 2014; Kwansa-Ansah et al, 2012). It is reported in the literature that the nutritional quality of fish depends on species, age, size, diet and water quality (Daczkowska-Kozon and Sun-pan, 2011; MartinezValverde et al, 2000; Rebole et al, 2015; Silva and Chamul, 2000)
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